Mumblecore founding father Joe Swanberg is back with this amiable off-season tale of Chicago millennials and their dissatisfactions. It offers his characteristic you-are-there visuals, rackety sound and meandering dialogue, often with appealing results.
Jenny (Anna Kendrick) arrives for a visit with brother Jeff (Swanberg), his wife Kelly (Melanie Lynskey, delightful as always) and their toddler Jude (Jude Swanberg, the director’s 2-year-old son). Jenny is getting over a breakup, and on her first night, she skips out for a party with Lena Dunham (whose character has a name, but who is unrecognizable as anything other than Lena Dunham).
Dunham’s comedy-improv chops are an asset, though. When Jenny passes out cold at the party, Dunham’s attempts to get her pal up and moving are cringe humor at its best. The way Swanberg (who edits his own films) cuts between scenes is also done with panache.
The director keeps these characters circling one another in an amusing way, but he’s too reluctant to have them collide. Jenny is some kind of budding alcoholic, but the film doesn’t want to explore that in depth. Stay-at-home mom Kelly is chafing to get back to novel-writing — so hubby Jeff finds her an office and helps out with the child care. Sure, that’s exactly how it usually works.
Swanberg’s playing a mensch, but he hulks through his scenes like an out-of-shape quarterback, his resting expression a thin-lipped sulk. Jude is another matter. He’s a major cutie, and adoring Papa Swanberg lets the little guy steal focus in every scene he’s in. Understandable, but when a 2-year-old walks off with a film, it’s a sign the adults could have used some higher stakes.