After seeing the trailer, I knew Home Again wasn’t going to be a good movie but I went to see it anyway because: 1) Reese Witherspoon 2) Nancy Meyers
Reese Witherspoon is adorable, always fun to watch and seems like she would be a great friend. But Nancy Meyers? Her movies are house porn at its finest.
The writer/director/producer of my go-to movies — Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, It’s Complicated, The Intern — Meyers creates houses that I pine for. Let’s reminisce in order of that list: there’s the Hamptons beach hideaway, the OMG-could-it-be-any-cuter cottage in the Cotswolds, the Santa Barbara stunner – with the added bonus of a bakery whose chocolate croissants you can practically smell through the screen – and the Brooklyn beauty.
I’ve seen each of these movies literally a dozen times and still can’t get enough. If one of them is playing on a plane, all is right with the world. It’s like comfort food for me.
But, okay, Home Again. So the basic story is that Alice (Witherspoon) is celebrating her 40th birthday, sobbing in the bathroom despite the fact that she has two precious daughters and lives in a Nancy Meyers house. She’s just moved back to Los Angeles after separating from her arrogant music-industry executive husband (Michael Sheen), who’s still in New York.
Alice meets three young dudes (emphasis on young) who are trying to get their film made and somehow she ends up letting them move in to her guest cottage. (Yes, she also has a freaking Nancy Meyers guest cottage.)
Although she tries to resist, Alice starts sleeping with one of the young dudes (emphasis on young) and … just ew. He is my son’s age – and your son’s age – and just ew.
Yes, it’s funny when she admits that she washed his clothes because she’s been up since 5 a.m. and was throwing in a load anyway. But Reese Witherspoon as a cougar just doesn’t work for me.
She falls a little bit in love with him when he fixes her kitchen cabinet door. Seriously? 1) Even I know how to use a screwdriver. 2) Nancy Meyers kitchen cabinet doors are perfect.
There’s so much wrong with this movie but I think I’ve figured out what the problem is. Home Again was not directed by Nancy Meyers but by her daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer. Meyers just produced it.
Hallie is 30, Nancy is 67 and the combination of older and younger as a love story was just creepy. Note: This is not sexist. I felt the same way in Something’s Gotta Give when Jack Nicholson was fooling around with Amanda Peet. But even Meyers knew something had to give so she gave him a heart attack and he ended up with Diane Keaton. But I digress.
The storyline is a fail. Whatever. You’ll still love drooling over the decor, the fabrics, the blankets. The movie isn’t perfect but the kitchen sure is.
Great review. I was interested since I like Witherspoon and Sheen.
Janice
Yes to all of it. But, it was the perfect “take my mind off everything” 2 hour escape. Agree, it’s all about the houses. I did actually think there were some very funny lines in the movie. The thing that bothered me more than the older/younger sex was the lazy use of many, many scenes of people laughing over meals where you didn’t hear the dialogue. I finally said to my friend, “How are they having this much fun? No one has this much fun at dinner.” House porn it is.
Totally agree it was a good escape! But, yes, too many lazy scenes, although the table settings were beautiful!
Saw it last night with some girlfriends. We all enjoyed it. But, I do agree with your review, Lois. Yes, ew on the relationship, but why is it not ew (or is it?) when a much older man dates or marries a very young woman?? My uncle is 27 years older than his current wife.
I think that is still ew!!
Lois, I am so with you; I completely covet my neighbor’s (akamovie character’s) Nancy Meyers house. And I, too, loved those movies. So I’m sure I’ll enjoy the aesthetics of this one, but thanks to your review, (which I enjoyed reading) l’ll wait until it hits one of my streaming services.
Thanks for the heads up!
Like Linda royI’ll wait tl this movie hits Netflix before I see it. I enjoyed reading your insights into this movie
Couldn’t agree with your review more. I saw the movie for the same reasons as you but did not fall in love with it they way I fell for Its Complicated.
I LOVE “It’s Complicated!”
I saw it last night and I, too, saw it because I LOVE Reese, but for God’s sake, the kid looked like he was seventeen!! And he was a bad actor!! The little girls were better actresses! I was a little escape, though, so that much was accomplished!
Thanks for this honest look at the movie. I agree that Witherspoon as cougar doesn’t resonate.
Thanks for the review! I think I’ll wait to see this one at home too – I’ve got a grandson in his teens so am not keen on the whole cougar thing.
This is interesting. Now I am curious and want to watch it.
I can’t believe I haven’t heard of this and I love Reese Witherspoon. I’m super curious to see this.
Lovely review. The age gap thing is a little creepy, but I hope I can give it a try on Netflix though.
I’ve been meaning to watch this as I too love the actresses. Great review, I’ll be keeping an eye out for it!
Though you didn’t like the story line, I like that you still found something to like about the movie. Reese is a wonderful actress.
Ew on the relationship and that would be a no for me. Too many other good movies to see!