Running time: 87 minutes
Starring: Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara, Amy Poehler, Clark Duke, Jane Lynch
Who to see it with: Fans of dysfunctional family humor
Lee:
A.C.O.D. is a comedy about an uptight restaurateur named Carter (Scott) who doesn't realize how much his behavior and personality were shaped by his parents' (Jenkins and O'Hara) messy divorce. When he reaches out to whom he believes to be his childhood therapist (Lynch), he discovers his unknowing contribution to book about children of divorce and begins a chain of events that may derail his brother's (Duke) upcoming wedding. Scott makes a good lead; Carter is often moody, sarcastic and kind of a jerk, but understandably considering his crazy family. The other more comedic players have much louder personalities, especially his immature parents and Amy Poehler as Carter's cold, newest stepmother. Jessica Alba is better than usual in a small role as a fellow child of divorce.
A.C.O.D. is funny but could be more effective as a dramedy or with a slightly darker touch. The lighthearted story and humor sometimes get a bit too silly. Some will relate to Carter and the damage done to him by his bickering parents, but that theme is often pushed aside for more wacky family hijinks. I like that Carter is rightfully disturbed by his parents' antics, while often simultaneously showing that he's more like them than he would admit. The characters are fun, but a few changes could have given them and their story more weight. A.C.O.D. is a fairly funny, possibly too light look at divorce's lingering effects on a dysfunctional family.
Rent it.
Rent it.
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