CYRUS (2010 SUNDANCE REVIEW)

At the moment, I'm seven movies in at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and thus far, Cyrus is my favorite film. The Duplass Brothers have led the mumblecore charge having had a hand in films like The Puffy Chair, Baghead, and Humpday. Now they return with Cyrus, a hilarious film that doesn't abandon they're independent roots but still manages to take an accessible step forward.

In Cyrus, an outstanding John C. Reilly plays John, a lovable schlub who can't seem to shake the fact that he was dumped by his wife Jamie (played by Catherine Keener)...seven years earlier! When Jamie-who just so happens to be John's only real friend--reveals she's about to remarry, reality sets in. Unable to cope with his severe inability to find love, a self loathing John reluctantly accompanies Jamie and her fiance to a party where he ultimately meets beautiful Molly (played by the beautiful Marisa Tomei), the potential woman of his dreams. After a rather quick courtship, John finds himself head over heals with Molly, but complications arise when he comes face to face with his new love's twenty-one year old son, an intelligent but odd sort named Cyrus.

Cyrus could have easily degenerated into a lame Step Brothers retread. And given I wasn't a big Step Brothers fan to begin with, that would have made this all the more disappointing. Happily though, that doesn't happen. The Duplass Brothers avoid the over the top shenanigans you might be expecting even though the set up appears it'll be fodder for broad, irreverent slapstick humor. Jay and Mark Duplass avoid this by grounding Cyrus in reality.

Also helping keep Cyrus firmly planted in the real world are its three lead players. John C. Reilly is wonderful playing John as a goofball but without overdoing it. Furthermore, there's a charm and sincerity at the heart of this sweet natured guy, and within the first twenty minutes of the film, its easy to see why Molly would fall for him. As Molly, Marisa Tomei hits all the right notes. She's sexy and funny, but its the warmth she exudes that's really worth noting. As the title character of the film, Jonah Hill ventures into some new terrain. He's certainly funny here, but he's also a little creepy as a desperate, insecure young man who is so fearful of losing his mother's love that he'll go to somewhat extreme lengths to protect the bond between he and his mom. As a team, Reilly and Hill play off of each other famously. A sizable portion of the film has John and Cyrus at odds with one another and again, while these scenes are played for laughs, they're kept in check.

Following the film, the Duplass Brothers revealed that many of the movie's funnier moments (and there are several of them) were improvised. No surprise given the involvement of Reilly and Hill. They were quick to praise the comic brilliance of this hilariously dynamic twosome for their laugh out loud contributions to the film. In turn, Reilly and Hill not only returned the praise to the Duplass Brothers but also showered love upon co-star Marisa Tomei who they credit with giving the film its spot on balance of humor, honesty, and charm. Cyrus is a terrific film and I can't wait to see it again.