Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 2 ratings
Everybody 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, Miranda and Natalie, that person is their perennially upbeat brother, Ned. But as each of their lives begins to unravel, Ned's family comes to realise that Ned isn't such an idiot after all.
Our Idiot Brother is a pleasant but fairly formulaic indie-ish family comedy-drama. The plot follows a predictable arc — hapless idealist inadvertently disrupts and ultimately improves the lives of those around him — without much surprise or depth. The ensemble cast (Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer) performs capably and brings warmth to underdeveloped characters, earning a modest above-average acting mark. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable, typical of low-budget indie dramedies of the era. Novelty is low — the lovable-fool-as-truth-teller premise is well-worn, and the film doesn't bring a distinctive voice or visual style to set it apart. The ending resolves things warmly if a bit neatly, with Ned finding modest redemption and reconnecting with his dog Willie Nelson, which lands with enough genuine feeling to be slightly above average.