The Altman family patriarch has died and this most secular of Jews desired that the family come together and sit Shiva. For those of you gentiles out there a Shiva is a Jewish wake, but it happens after the funeral which is done as quickly as possible. So his children who include Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll and Adam Driver gather at the family home where Jane Fonda their mother still lives. Fonda insists that these very secular kids observe the custom as a matter of respect for their dad.

Father had a sporting goods business he ran and he made some very specific bequests in his will about the division of the business. That is only one bone of contention. In fact me telling any more will ruin the story. I will say this though that after a lot of revelations about the children and their lives, Fonda provides the biggest revelation of all at the end and kind of brings them all to an understanding.

This Is Where I Leave You is one of those films short on plot, but long and deep in character development. Jason Bateman as per his status as the lead is the sibling who never really went anywhere, the one with the most ability, but the one who always played it safe. His character is the most fully formed, the other siblings have their moments, but in the end function as reflections of sides of Bateman.

No one is all warm and fuzzy as This Is Where I Leave You ends. But they all come away with a better understanding of themselves and the family dynamic.

And isn't that what families are all about?

Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) is a radio producer who finds his wife Quinn (Abigail Spencer) in bed with his boss (Dax Shepard) and about to divorce her. His father passes away and his final wish is for his family to hold shiva even though they're not religious. The family is forced to spend 7 days together. His sister Wendy (Tina Fey) is married with a kid but she still loves Horry Callen (Timothy Olyphant) who got a brain injury when they were young. His mother Hillary (Jane Fonda) got her boobs done and has no boundaries. She is a famous therapist who wrote an in-depth book about her children's sex lives. His irresponsible brother Phillip (Adam Driver) shows up with his psychiatrist fiancée Tracy Sullivan (Connie Britton). His older brother Paul (Corey Stoll) is married to Judd's first girlfriend Annie (Kathryn Hahn) and they can't seem to conceive. Judd reconnects with Penny Moore (Rose Byrne) who has always held a torch for him. Then Quinn shows up with news that she's pregnant with his child.

Honestly, I've condense the interconnection of the characters as much as possible. This is so full that there isn't a spare moment of breather. There are great comedic talents here but everybody is stepping on each other's feet. Everybody is perfectly likable. It may be that there is so much talent in the cast. Everybody is given something to do or be which ends up as being too much. Just when things need to wrap up, the movie adds one more thing.

The family gathers for a funeral and spend time together after the death of their father not in August Osage County. The film centers around Judd (Jason Bateman) the second oldest son and the most stable in the group. Recently he has split up with his wife (Abigail Spencer) when he caught her in bed with his boss (Dax Shepard). His sister Wendy (Tina Fey) is his confidant, although secrets burn inside of her. She has her own issues.

Paul (Corey Stoll) is the oldest. He believes the family business should go to him. His wife Alice (Kathryn Hahn) was Judd's girlfriend for 6 months before he met Quinn.

Phillip (Adam Driver) is the baby in the group. He hasn't grown up and brings his much older girlfriend Tracy (Connie Britton) who is also his analyst.

Mom (Jane Fonda) Loves to talk about her dead husband's sexual ability and shows off her cleavage to the dismay of her family. She has also written a book "Cradle to All" based on the personal lives of her children.

The film is a light situation comedy with family drama and secrets but without the intensity. On some level it feels like a romantic comedy. The family comes together to form new bonds and more understanding relationships, even those they know are doomed for failure.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. Brief sex scene. Implied sex. Near sex. Male rear nudity. Sex talk. Sex heard over a speaker.