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Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan ... see more see more... , Hugh Dancy , Kathryn Hahn , Rashida Jones , Shirley Knight , T.J. Miller , Adam Scott , Janet Montgomery , Sterling K. Brown , Matthew Mindler , Francesca Papalia , Bob Stephenson , Peter Hermann , Kelly Briter , Kayla Squiteri , Summer Squiteri , Linda Haug , Wrenn Schmidt , Kathy Fitzgerald , Marceline Hugot , Alexia Rasmussen , Lucas Near-Verbugghe , Polly Draper , Neal Lerner , Katie Aselton , Nick Sullivan , Gina Artese , Silvestre Rasuk , Andrew Secunda , Adi Hanash , Camille Bright , Teja Frank , James Biberi

Every family has one: the sibling who is always just a little bit behind the curve when it comes to getting his life together. For sisters Liz (Emily Mortimer), Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) and Natalie (... read more read more...Zooey Deschanel), that person is their perennially upbeat brother Ned (Paul Rudd), an erstwhile organic farmer whose willingness to rely on the honesty of mankind is a less-than-optimum strategy for a tidy, trouble-free existence. Ned may be utterly lacking in common sense, but he is their brother and so, after his girlfriend dumps him and boots him off the farm, his sisters once again come to his rescue. As Liz, Miranda and Natalie each take a turn at housing Ned, their brother's unfailing commitment to honesty creates more than a few messes in their comfortable routines. But as each of their lives begins to unravel, Ned's family comes to realize that maybe, in believing and trusting the people around him; Ned isn't such an idiot after all. -- (C) Weinstein

Flixster Users

53% liked it

29,397 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

131 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Jesse Peretz

Release Date: August 26, 2011

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DVD Release Date: November 29, 2011

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Stats: 2,305 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,305)

  • axadntpron
    January 21, 2012
    axadntpron
    This film is mostly watchable because Paul Rudd charmed the pants off me. I really like that they made his character lovably aloof as opposed to having him be incomprehensibly dim and having that be the sole source of comedy. Also, the film provides enough laughs to keep you ente... read morertained during the 90 minutes.
    However, it is when the camera isn't on Rudd that the film falls apart. The supporting characters who chew up most the film's time, have very little depth. In fact, all of the sisters are very unlikable. Not that all of the characters have to be likable, but the viewer in some way has to have some interest in the characters relationships. And when you could care less about any of the supporting characters, it is hard to be interested in what they do.
    As a twenty minute YouTube video with all of the supporting characters cut out, this film would be great. But as a whole, it is sadly forgettable.
    P.S. - Did anyone else feel like the cursing in the film was completely forced? I felt like this film would have been perfect for a PG-13 rating. But it seems like they awkwardly threw in as many F-words as they could just for comedic effect.
  • Tomassgringo
    January 20, 2012
    Tomassgringo
    Since I am the idiot brother in my family.... how could I NOT LOVE this movie. Paul Rudd is OUTSTANDING in the role as Ned. Ned has an innocence that humanity NEEDS to embrace!!
  • fb100000145236770
    January 13, 2012
    fb100000145236770
    "Our Idiot Brother" is the story of Ned(Paul Rudd) an idiot with three sisters. Ned gets put into jail for selling drugs to a police officer in uniform. When he reenters the real world he has no place to go, so he inserts himself into the lives of his sisters. Liz(Emily Mortim... read moreer) is in a bad marriage, Miranda(Elizabeth Banks) is a bossy writer, and Natalie(Zooey Deschanel) is a lesbian having an affair with a man. Ned is always upbeat and friendly, but he seems to screw things up more than he does make them better. Paul Rudd is absolutely fantastic in this. This is probably his best role, and he makes Ned so damn likeable. Heck, he even has a dog named Willy Nelson. When Ned is down, you feel down, you just wanna hug the guy. The rest of the cast is very good as well. It's a very well made comedy, that's only hangup was it needed more laughs. It drags a little in the middle, but overall it's a very enjoyable film. If you like lighthearted, adult comedy, this is right up your alley. There are some sex and drugs jokes, but it's kept to a good minimum. Very good natured R rated comedy, something that is kind of rare, just like Ned.
  • sanjurosamurai
    December 31, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    a great cast, a few solid laughs, and a decent concept were not near enough to save this lack luster film. ultimately it keeps leaning towards an immense potential that it never hits.
  • lewiskendell
    December 31, 2011
    lewiskendell
    My Idiot Brother is an offbeat comedy that has a great cast, but it's a little too formulaic and cut-and-dry to be better than "okay". Keep in mind that it's more subtle than slapstick, and you'll be fine. Especially if you're a Paul Rudd fan (like I am).
  • MizturY0da
    December 30, 2011
    MizturY0da
    three stars
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    December 27, 2011
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Whereas most comedies these days go for the easy laughs and recycled shtick, "Our Idiot Brother" does something completely different. It strives to be the sweetest, fuzziest, most warm-hearted R rated comedy imaginable and completely succeeds! The film is as light as a feather, b... read moreut the stellar cast makes it memorable and ring true. The best feel-good film to come around in some time.
  • shortcartoonist
    December 27, 2011
    shortcartoonist
    Bland, simple, annoying, and nearing pointlessness - OUR IDIOT BROTHER is idiotic in its own direction, as it so often feels that it doesn't have one. Pretensions in purpose, it meekly masquerades as a journey of change and accepting the gratitude and intentions of those around y... read moreou. The only real problem is in the thinness to this veil. Paul Rudd's naive man of peace is the same from start to finish; his sisters perception of him pushing an unbelievable force of change.
  • cosmo313
    December 22, 2011
    cosmo313
    Ned is probably the nicest guy ever. He's a good natured, laid back hippie, and even though he might be too trusting, and a little too honest, his heart's in the right place, and his optimistic outlook on life is just too charming to not get into. Contrary to the title, he's not ... read morereally that stupid, but he is a little low on common sense.

    After serving a brief time in jail for selling weed to an on duty cop, Ned loses his home, dog, and girlfriend, so he seeks help from each of his three sisters, satying with each until he can get back on his feet. Unlike Ned, they have a more realistic view of the world, and actually act like adults, unlike the manchild everyone but himself sees him as. Each sister tries their best to deal with him, but one by one he manages to screw up their lives in some very big ways.

    Given that Ned is undoubtedly a hippie, and the way the film was marketed, it seems at first glance like a silly, dumb, and typical manchild comedy a la Step Brothers. In actuality, this is actually a very funny, smart, and charming film that isn't afraid to get a little genuinely dramatic and serious at times. There's a seen where Ned finally snaps and has a breakdown, and it's a very effective scene that really shows that Rudd is a gifted actor, and not just of the comedic variety. After that point though, the film feels a little uneven, and the film kinda starts to take the easy way out, but it ends nicely enough.

    Aside from that, and that the flm overall is a little tonally uneven, it's still pretty solid, and a lot better than the trailer makes it seem. This is a hard film to dislike, and Ned's outlook on life, though perhaps a little too altruistic, is actually a nice way of seeing the world. I'm probably the msot thankful that the film takes characters that, played or handled by anyone else, would have been treated as throw away caricatures, resulting in a less interesting and probably weaker film.

    The film's got a wonderful cast, and they all do a great job. Rudd shows he's got some real chops, and his turn as Ned really holds the film together. It's a finely observed performance that really handles the character type in a nuanced and balanced way. As Ned's three harried and diverse sisters, Elizabeth Banks is great as the somewhat bossy Miranda- a journalist for Vanity Fair working her butt off to get her big break, Zooey Deschanel is solid (though perhaps too obvious) as the bohemian/hispter artist Natalie, and Emily Mortimer is pretty good as Liz the frustrated and uptight housewife and mother of two. Shirley Knight plays mom to all these kids, but she's not really used a whole lot, so they could have been fine without her.

    In good supporting roles are Rashida Jones as Natalie's girlfriend Cindy the lawyer (yes, that's right, Rashida Jones and Zooey Deschanel get intimate with one another), Steve Coogan is solid as Liz's boring, pretentious filmmaker husband (who absolutely loathes Ned), and Adam Scott as Miranda's neighbor and best friend. I used to not care for him, but he's proving himself to be a reliable character actor and bit player.

    All in all, this is some really good stuff. It's entertaining and funny, but also quite charming and heartfelt. I think the resolution of everything could have been smoothed out better, but it ends well enough, so I can't complain too much. Give this one a go. It's not the dopey raunch fest it comes off as, but is instead a very refreshing and well done dramatic comedy.
  • tsigur
    December 18, 2011
    tsigur
    Alex is right on with his review. It did seem like a bunch of friends who wanted to get together and make a movie. The thing is that all of the friends are really talented and charming so it makes for a good watching experience. The core of the story has some real potential (the ... read moreidea of a character who is so good he is naive is interesting), but it not as well executed as you would have hoped. It's a sweet movie, but it's also a movie you will forget about fifteen minutes after watching it.

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Critic Reviews

Alexis Loinaz
September 3, 2011
Alexis Loinaz, Chicago Tribune

Rudd brings color and dimension to a borderline-simpleton schlub who could have easily become a one-note cliché. Full Review

Rick Groen
August 26, 2011
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Strange, then, how Our Idiot Brother wastes its lone asset -- there's not enough idiot, and far too many boring savants. Full Review

Tom Long
August 26, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

It's rare that summer ends on as sweet a note as Our Idiot Brother. Full Review

Peter Rainer
August 26, 2011
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

The cast members, beginning with Rudd, have an improvisatory ease, and the director, Jesse Peretz, working from a script by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, doesn't indulge in the sort of nail-on-t... Full Review

Stephen Whitty
August 26, 2011
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

Dude, where's the movie? Full Review

Kyle Smith
August 26, 2011
Kyle Smith, New York Post

The film goes far on its good nature, though it is never more than gently funny. Full Review

Peter Howell
August 26, 2011
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

A film that offers dumb fun, but in reality may be crazy like a fox. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
August 26, 2011
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Rudd has created a genuinely engaging character in the Candide-like Ned, but "Our Idiot Brother" gives him very little garden to cultivate. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
August 26, 2011
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

Despite a pleasantly laid-back demeanor, you wish it would just get focused. Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
August 25, 2011
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

It's a warm, intelligent and highly contemporary comedy with just the right amount of edge, a terrific ensemble cast and a big, fuzzy golden retriever ready to knock you down and lick you like a giant... Full Review

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Facts

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    • Omar: I..... am..... your..... parole..... officer.....
    • Ned: Why are you talking like that?
    • Omar: Oh, well I thought, since you sold grass to an officer in uniform, that you might be retarded.
    • Billy: Nothing like two dudes and a dog making candles.
    • Ned: Such a cliche.
    • Cindy: Who's the man Ned?
    • Ned: I'm the man!
    • Cindy: Louder!
    • Ned: I'm the man!
    • Cindy: Yes.
    • Ned: [to his parol officer] I broke down, I went and smoked with the kid that lives across the street from me.
    • Ned: They let me go early! I won 'Most Cooperative Inmate', four months running.
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  • He played Paul Rudd's cheating brother-in-law in "Our Idiot Brother".  Answer »
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