You may not yet be familiar with Mark and Jay Duplass but I see that unfamiliarity ending soon with the duo's latest film. Cyrus showcases great writing and acting that is simultaneously hilarious and painful. Advancing their typical mumblecore comedy to Hollywood levels while never sacrificing intelligence, Cyrus is the Duplass brothers' most enjoyable film to date.
Sad sack John (John C. Reilly) is letting life pass him by. Unable to get over the divorce from his wife Jamie (Catherine Keener), several years later he is still trying to adjust. Jamie urges John to attend a party in hopes that it adds some zest to his life. While sulking through the party and downing copious amounts of alcohol John runs into Molly (Marisa Tomei). The two hit it off right away and after an impromptu dance, continue to share the rest of the evening. John believes that he has found something special in Molly and hopes to continue their relationship. Molly and John continue to date, but Molly's need to keep John at a distance perplexes him. Molly has a little secret, she has a 21-year-old son Cyrus (Jonah Hill), and he still lives at home. John must now contend with Cyrus's constant interference into his budding relationship.
Mark and Jay Duplass have been indie darlings for some time now. Marching in the parade of mumblecore, the Duplass brothers have a style that is distinctly their own. The duo has been gathering experience with their two earlier films, The Puffy Chair and Baghead. With dialogue that borders on neorealism, and a shooting style that feels hand-held their previous films have relied on the use of unknown actors. Cyrus marks the brothers' first use of actors that we've actually heard of, so the worry that the two may be selling out is warranted. I can honestly say that the Duplass brothers sacrifice nothing. Ignoring the presence of "name actors", the film is in every way the brothers' own. While the occasionally out of focus camera work was at times distracting in their earlier work, they have now learned how to use it effectively. The heart and soul of the film is in the writing. The brothers have a style that is true-to-life. The writing works well with the shooting style giving the film a feeling of authenticity that draws the viewer in.
The casting director for Cyrus deserves some praise. Every actor fits his role well, but the men are the real standouts. John C. Reilly has fantastic comedic timing. He is able to milk laughs from the simplest of moments and make every scene he is in interesting. Jonah Hill is no slouch either. Hill is given quite the task of making the character of Cyrus, one that is wholly ridiculous and unbelievable, not only feel honest but vulnerable. His performance may not be flawless, but it works. When the two interact on screen, it is comedic gold. The scene where John finally confronts Cyrus is played so well that you forget that the actors are communicating entirely through whispers. The women are good, but nothing special. Catherine Keener plays the same role she's been playing for some years now. She's good at it, but it's nothing new. Marisa Tomei is sweet and likable as Molly; nevertheless, her character is the most predictable of the bunch.
The third act of the film is its weak point. The ending of the film is a bit rushed and completely predictable. It seems like the writers have crafted a good story and then just didn't know how best to end it. The film has a deliberate pacing that works well for the first two acts. The plethora of humor allows the viewer to become enthralled and time to fly. Unfortunately, when the laughs become less frequent, the pacing starts to feel slow. If the third act were to go on any longer it could push the viewer into boredom. The boredom line is flirted with, but never crossed.
In a market that is flooded with comedy it can be hard for a comedic film to feel fresh. Offering a different style of comedy, Cyrus is able to stand out. The Duplass brothers have a great script that when put in the hands of John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill becomes fantastic. Advancing mumblecore, the Duplass brothers get better with each outing, refusing to sacrifice their style for Hollywood. Cyrus is nicely made and one of the funniest films of the year.
Sad sack John (John C. Reilly) is letting life pass him by. Unable to get over the divorce from his wife Jamie (Catherine Keener), several years later he is still trying to adjust. Jamie urges John to attend a party in hopes that it adds some zest to his life. While sulking through the party and downing copious amounts of alcohol John runs into Molly (Marisa Tomei). The two hit it off right away and after an impromptu dance, continue to share the rest of the evening. John believes that he has found something special in Molly and hopes to continue their relationship. Molly and John continue to date, but Molly's need to keep John at a distance perplexes him. Molly has a little secret, she has a 21-year-old son Cyrus (Jonah Hill), and he still lives at home. John must now contend with Cyrus's constant interference into his budding relationship.
Mark and Jay Duplass have been indie darlings for some time now. Marching in the parade of mumblecore, the Duplass brothers have a style that is distinctly their own. The duo has been gathering experience with their two earlier films, The Puffy Chair and Baghead. With dialogue that borders on neorealism, and a shooting style that feels hand-held their previous films have relied on the use of unknown actors. Cyrus marks the brothers' first use of actors that we've actually heard of, so the worry that the two may be selling out is warranted. I can honestly say that the Duplass brothers sacrifice nothing. Ignoring the presence of "name actors", the film is in every way the brothers' own. While the occasionally out of focus camera work was at times distracting in their earlier work, they have now learned how to use it effectively. The heart and soul of the film is in the writing. The brothers have a style that is true-to-life. The writing works well with the shooting style giving the film a feeling of authenticity that draws the viewer in.
The casting director for Cyrus deserves some praise. Every actor fits his role well, but the men are the real standouts. John C. Reilly has fantastic comedic timing. He is able to milk laughs from the simplest of moments and make every scene he is in interesting. Jonah Hill is no slouch either. Hill is given quite the task of making the character of Cyrus, one that is wholly ridiculous and unbelievable, not only feel honest but vulnerable. His performance may not be flawless, but it works. When the two interact on screen, it is comedic gold. The scene where John finally confronts Cyrus is played so well that you forget that the actors are communicating entirely through whispers. The women are good, but nothing special. Catherine Keener plays the same role she's been playing for some years now. She's good at it, but it's nothing new. Marisa Tomei is sweet and likable as Molly; nevertheless, her character is the most predictable of the bunch.
The third act of the film is its weak point. The ending of the film is a bit rushed and completely predictable. It seems like the writers have crafted a good story and then just didn't know how best to end it. The film has a deliberate pacing that works well for the first two acts. The plethora of humor allows the viewer to become enthralled and time to fly. Unfortunately, when the laughs become less frequent, the pacing starts to feel slow. If the third act were to go on any longer it could push the viewer into boredom. The boredom line is flirted with, but never crossed.
In a market that is flooded with comedy it can be hard for a comedic film to feel fresh. Offering a different style of comedy, Cyrus is able to stand out. The Duplass brothers have a great script that when put in the hands of John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill becomes fantastic. Advancing mumblecore, the Duplass brothers get better with each outing, refusing to sacrifice their style for Hollywood. Cyrus is nicely made and one of the funniest films of the year.