Our Idiot Brother

*** stars

Our Idiot Brother tries a lot harder than other films in its genre to have a reason for existing. It's a comedy about a stoner, but it's not a stoner comedy. This is a compliment. The always reliable Paul Rudd is hilariously funny as Ned, an organic farmer who gets busted for selling drugs to a cop. Now, Ned says no at first, but the cop said he wanted the pot because he had a rough week, so Ned feels bad and agrees. This is where the take down occurs. Ned has a couple screws loose, but he is also sweet and concerning. Which is why his sisters put up with him: Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), the urban-esque journalist type, Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), the hip retro-lesbian type, and Liz (Emily Mortimer), the given-up wife who hides behind her husband type. All of them at one point put Ned up at their place. He creates a problem and goes on to the next sister. Or does he? Our Idiot Brother does a great job at making Ned an intricate character, letting the others around him be convinced that he is the one to blame for all of their problems while at the same time never condoning any of them. It's a little weird at times with a rather cheesy ending (I feel the studio had a hand in this one), but in a month where movies have been mediocre at best, Our Idiot Brother provides a fun and harmless time for you and yours.