"People Like Us" is the type of film that would be completely derailed by a simple act of honesty. The drama presented here could be wiped away in minutes if the lead character showed a little backbone and dumped his feelings at first contact, but that doesn't happen. Instead, the screenplay is an exercise in prolonging the inevitable, making the viewer experience the discomfort of a man perfectly capable of solving his problems, but can't quite make the leap in communication. The trick of "People Like Us" is making the audience not mind the unnatural delay, supplying characters dimensional enough to ignore their odd lack of common sense. The picture has that power.
Sam (Chris Pine) is a fast-talking salesman specializing in overstocked items who's just learned that his estranged father, a famous music industry figure, has died. Reluctant to return home for the funeral, Sam and girlfriend Hannah (Olivia Wilde) eventually make the journey to console his mother, Lillian (Michelle Pfeiffer), with the wheeler-dealer learning of serious legal troubles when he returns home. Left an enormous amount of cash by his late father to bring to the half-sister he never knew, Sam is floored by the revelation, setting out to meet Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) and her troubled son, Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario). Unable to explain his mission to the hardened single mom, Sam inadvertently stumbles into Frankie's life under false pretenses, cozying up to a woman who hasn't been vulnerable in a long time. Digging himself in deeper with both Frankie and Lillian the longer he keeps the truth from surfacing, Sam struggles to understand a father he despised, accidentally growing into a parental figure for Josh.
"People Like Us" marks the directorial debut for Alex Kurtzman, a prolific screenwriter who's worked on films such as "Star Trek," "Cowboys & Aliens," and "The Island." The man is well versed in the art of arranging screen chaos, leaving the tone of his latest work quite unexpected. As the title suggests, "People Like Us" is a human story about inner turmoil and the intensity of trust, leading with troubled characters who don't always have the capacity to share their true feelings, with Kurtzman pulling drama out of the anxiety shared by this sudden family unknowingly inching together. It's a modest idea, "inspired by true events," with the production working diligently to breathe life into what should be an unresponsive lump of clichés, infusing the personalities with a genuine sense of individuality before they finally come together, strengthening the burgeoning relationships with cleanly defined neuroses and faults.
It's actually quite a relief to find time with Sam and Frankie so appealing, brought to life through two expressive performances from Pine and Banks, who share terrific chemistry -- a development Kurtzman uses to rile up the audience when Frankie begins to take Sam's intense interest as a romantic sign. Opening up to each other, the emotional textures of the characters shine through, making for a few wonderful scenes of confession. As previously mentioned, all of Sam's woes would be cleared away by a simple, harmless explanation of intent, but clarity of thought doesn't make sticky drama, with much of "People Like Us" devoted to the fallen salesman's psychological torment, handed a ticking clock with legal woes that worsen the longer he hides at his childhood home. Also tender is the time spent between Sam and Lillian. While Kurtzman doesn't set aside enough screentime to explore the tattered relationship in full, Pfeiffer is handed a few effective scenes of confrontation, pulling complexity out of Pine, who's normally drawn to roles that are more cocksure.
The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) shows ideal life and clarity for a rich HD viewing experience. Detail is terrific, with sharpness supporting expressive close-ups and excessively cluttered environments, preserving background elements and neighborhood activity. Textures are especially convincing on costumes and props, with weathered leather and soft fabrics helping the warm tone of the effort. The golden glow of the cinematography is preserved, generating a striking, sturdy artistic sense, while hues are rich and defined, with restaurant neon especially striking. Shadow detail is comfortable with a few clotted moments, while blacks feel a little washed out at times, missing the direct impact the color palette holds. Skintones are comfortable, looking intentionally flush.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix creates a pleasingly immersive environment for what's essentially a low-key picture. Soundtrack cuts sound especially nice, with fresh instrumentation carrying the viewing experience securely, while scoring efforts are equally agreeable, with a mild circular presence that aids in emotional emphasis. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and clean, with a solid frontal hold to deliver intended force. Community atmospherics are mild but welcome, with distances and schoolyard bustle reaching into the surrounds, while gentle directional activity helps to bring the track some energy. Low-end is limited but isn't missed.
Commentary #1 with writer/director Alex Kurtzman and stars Elizabeth Banks and Chris Pine commences with a welcome shot of honesty, finding the participants openly disparaging the "People Like Us" title (changed from "Welcome to People"), while launching a few digs concerning the picture's minimal box office. The commentary tone is conversational, revealing a warm interplay between the trio, who talk up character moments, audition and acting histories, and storytelling intentions. Kurtzman keeps the track moving along, while Banks is surprisingly engaged (and hilarious), asking questions about the creative process, helping to explore scripting directions, which keeps Pine awake. It's a fun listen.
Commentary #2 with Kurtzman and co-writer/co-producer Jody Lambert is a more technical track, tracing the eight years of development and consideration that brought "People Like Us" to the big screen. There's an enormous amount of intense creative discussion, covering storytelling choices and structure, actor instincts, and character arcs, with the men engaged in the conversation. It's not nearly as snappy as the other commentary, but for those interested in a more grounded discussion of how the picture came to be, the second track is sure to satisfy.
Commentary #3 with Kurtzman and star Michelle Pfeiffer is a select-scene chat (35:17 worth of film), with the actress gamely describing her take on Lillian and the character's place in the story. The track adds to the Blu-ray experience, especially since Pfeiffer isn't one to normally agree to such thespian inspection.
"Number One with a Bullet: The Story of 'People Like Us'" (14:28, HD) is a nifty, slickly crafted making-of featurette, using cast and crew interviews to help guide the experience, discussing the development of the project and its intent to bring Kurtzman and Orci back to basics. There's a small amount of BTS footage to help understand the daily business of film production, but not enough to satisfy, with most of the information shared through stories and reflection.
"Taco Talk" (4:51, HD) is a collection of improvisations between Pine and Banks, who work out their friendly character rapport in front of a glowing Los Angeles restaurant.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (18:25, HD) adds a few extra beats between Sam and Hannah, while elongating climatic time with all of the characters, without the editorial butchering of certain emotional peaks and conversations. They can be viewed with or without introductions from Kurtzman.
Gag Reel (3:54, HD) is a routine collection of mix-em-ups, with special attention paid to Pine's giggle fits and sound interruption caused by squawking parrots.
The material stumbles in the third act, suddenly calling on television melodrama formula to clear a path to a satisfying ending. D'Addario also causes concern, playing Josh as more of a Disney Channel punk than a credibly broken child who can't abstain from waywardness. The character's deadpan precociousness is difficult to endure. Thankfully, Kurtzman finds his footing again for the finale, a tasteful conclusion that effectively finds a way out of the story, wrapping up a gentle feature on a lovely note of concern from a startling source. "People Like Us" ends up filled with modest moments of surprise and connection, launching Kurtzman's directorial career on a refreshingly compassionate note.
Walt Disney Home Entertainment will release a combo pack edition of the DreamWorks Pictures drama People Like Us (2012), starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks and Michelle Pfeiffer. The release will be available for purchase on October 2.
