Jeff, Who Lives at Home | Film review

Jason Segel in Jeff, Who Lives at Home

At the peak of mumblecore, Jay and Mark Duplass (Baghead) seemed like fresh voices. Now that they’ve moved on to bigger budgets and less ambitious projects, the novelty has worn off. Following their similarly credulity-straining Cyrus, the siblings take one more step toward the mainstream with this extra-fluffy shaggy-dog story, in which two very different brothers—hopeless slacker Jeff (Jason Segel), oblivious asshole Pat (Ed Helms)—bond after setting out to investigate whether the latter’s wife (Judy Greer) is being unfaithful. There’s also a go-nowhere subplot involving their mom (Susan Sarandon) and an office romance. The tone is less curdled than that of a quirkathon like Cedar Rapids, but even films this friendly and inconsequential need to provide viewers a reason to see them.