"Jeff, Who Lives at Home" is NOT a film for everyone. It is very indie in style and features mixed up characters who are difficult, at times, to like. It is far from the sort of thing you'd expect to see from Hollywood, that's for sure.

Jason Siegal stars as the title character. He's a 30 year-old loser--with no job and living in his mother's basement. He sits around smoking a bong and has little going for him other than, down deep, he is still a very nice person. Much of the film concerns him and his brother, Pat (Ed Helms) who is MUCH easier to dislike. Unlike the optimistic Jeff, Pat is caustic--critical and not particularly nice. Their mother (Susan Sarandon) is frustrated with her life...though she has a hard time recognizing this. By the end of the film, events have taken place that both bring them all together and get them all to reassess who they are.

As you can tell, this is certainly not a traditional plot. It's much more like a typical Duplass Brothers film--with realistic but highly flawed characters that you grow to like in spite of themselves. However, unlike one of their films, they apparently impressed someone with money, as this one has major stars and obviously cost much more to make. Not a brilliant film but there are many, many small moments that you'll appreciate. Also, it starts off VERY slow--stick with this one.

By the way, in a supporting part you'll probably recognize Steve Zissis from anther Duplass film, "The Do-Deca Decathlon".

Jeff (Jason Segel) is 30 and living in his mother Sharon (Susan Sarandon)'s basement. He's aimless and unemployed. His favorite movie is 'Signs', and he's looking for signs for a direction in his life. He answers an angry phone call from someone looking for Kevin. When he sees someone in a jersey with Kevin on the back, he follows him around. Meanwhile, Jeff's brother Pat (Ed Helms) is a bad salesman and he angers his wife Linda (Judy Greer) by buying a Porsche. Sharon has a secret admirer at work.

It's a Duplass brothers movie. They do these whimsical indie movies. These characters are not particularly likable to me. Jeff is weirdly fixated on Kevins. Pat is way too angry to like. Ed Helms plays such an annoying character. It's hard to get into the brothers' relationship. If he could play anger without being a douche, I might find some humor in this. I don't find anything about them funny. That's the threshold that I need to cross for this movie. It's just not funny to me. The ending wraps things up nicely but it's a long unfunny road getting there.

It's a tough sell for a movie, because while this is funny, it's not laugh out loud funny. Most of the time it isn't. Most of the time it is awkward funny. But even if you can see some of the things way ahead, it is more than nicely acted and has the weirdness going for it. I really liked it a lot, but it is definitely not everyones cup of tea, no matter what flavor is inside the cup.

Segel is really exceptional as are the other actors and while the story is pretty straightforward, it still takes you on an emotional ride (if you let it that is). A nice little movie that will fulfill what you hope it does, with a title like that :o)