Our Idiot Brother
Our Idiot Brother is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Jesse Peretz and written by his sister Evgenia Peretz and her husband David Schisgall.[1] The story centers on Ned Rochlin (Paul Rudd), an easygoing, dimwitted organic farmer and idealist whose unwavering honesty leads to his arrest for selling marijuana to an undercover cop; after his release, he turns to his three sisters—ambitious journalist Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), commitment-phobic Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), and struggling academic Liz (Emily Mortimer)—for shelter, unwittingly disrupting their lives and exposing their personal flaws.[2][3] The film's plot unfolds as Ned rotates among his sisters' households in New York City, where his naive trust and blunt candor unravel Miranda's professional deceptions, Natalie's stagnant relationship, and Liz's marital tensions, ultimately prompting each to reevaluate their choices and fostering unexpected family reconciliation.[2] Supporting roles include Rashida Jones as Miranda's rival, Steve Coogan as Natalie's partner, and Adam Scott as Liz's husband, adding layers to the ensemble dynamics.[3] Developed by the production team behind Little Miss Sunshine, including producers Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub, Our Idiot Brother premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2011, before its wide theatrical release on August 26, 2011, distributed by The Weinstein Company.[4] Produced on a modest budget of $5 million, the film achieved commercial success, earning $24.8 million domestically and $1 million internationally for a worldwide total of $25.9 million.[4] Critically, Our Idiot Brother garnered mixed reception, holding a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 141 reviews, with the consensus noting it as "decidedly uneven, but like Paul Rudd's performance in the title role... too charming to resist."[2] Reviewers frequently highlighted Rudd's affable portrayal of Ned as a modern "holy fool" whose simplicity contrasts the sisters' cynicism, though some criticized the script's predictable resolutions and tonal shifts.[5] The movie also received a 60/100 Metacritic score based on 39 reviews, reflecting its polarizing blend of humor and drama.[6]Story and characters
Plot
Ned Rochlin is an idealistic organic farmer whose naive trust leads to his arrest after he sells marijuana to an undercover police officer posing as a stressed-out customer at a farmers' market.[7] Released early on parole for good behavior after serving several months in jail, Ned returns to the rural farm he shares with his girlfriend, Janet, only to find that she has evicted him and taken possession of his beloved dog, Willie Nelson, refusing to return either the animal or their shared possessions.[8] With nowhere else to go, Ned moves to New York City to stay with his three overachieving sisters, cycling through their homes as his unrelenting honesty and optimism inadvertently unravel the carefully constructed facades in each of their lives.[9] First, Ned stays with his eldest sister, Liz, a devoted mother married to Dylan, a self-absorbed documentary filmmaker who prioritizes his work on a film about a reclusive artist over family responsibilities. While helping Dylan with odd jobs on the set, Ned innocently reveals to Liz that Dylan has been having an affair with the subject's assistant, shattering her illusions about their marriage and forcing her to confront the emotional neglect in her household. This exposure leads to marital tension and Liz's eventual decision to prioritize her own needs and her children's well-being over maintaining a dysfunctional status quo.[10] Next, Ned moves in with his sister Miranda, an ambitious journalist desperate for a big story on a reclusive public figure. Ned secures her an exclusive interview by leveraging his farm connections but, in his straightforward manner, innocently reveals to the subject a sensitive detail from her past during the interview, causing her to end it abruptly and Miranda to lose the scoop and face professional repercussions. This incident humbles Miranda, prompting her to question her cutthroat career tactics and seek more authentic journalistic integrity.[8][11] Finally, Ned crashes with his sister Natalie, a restless photographer in a seemingly stable but passionless relationship with her girlfriend, Cindy. During their time together, Ned's open-minded encouragement leads Natalie to explore her attractions outside the relationship, resulting in a brief affair with a male neighbor that exposes underlying dissatisfaction and communication breakdowns with Cindy. This disruption ultimately strengthens Natalie's bond with Cindy as they address their issues honestly, fostering greater trust and emotional depth in their partnership.[9] Throughout these stays, Ned's sisters initially view him as a burdensome "idiot" whose candor creates chaos, but his unwavering belief in kindness and truth begins to highlight their own hypocrisies and unfulfilled lives, leading to personal growth for each. In a pivotal family confrontation during a game night, Ned finally voices his frustration with their selfishness, marking a turning point where the sisters recognize their reliance on him and the value of his perspective.[10] The story culminates in reconciliation when the sisters rally to help Ned retrieve Willie Nelson from Janet through a clever ruse involving a staged intervention, allowing Ned to regain custody of his dog and symbolizing his reclaimed sense of home and loyalty. Disillusioned with urban life and his sisters' lingering flaws, Ned briefly considers returning to jail rather than posting bail, but ultimately decides his mission of injecting honesty into their lives is complete. The family reunites at a rural farm, where Ned plans to rebuild his life, and the sisters, transformed by his influence, embrace more genuine connections among themselves. The narrative underscores themes of radical honesty as a catalyst for trust and healing familial bonds, illustrating how Ned's perceived idiocy reveals deeper truths about vulnerability and support within a family.[8]Cast
| Actor | Character | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Rudd | Ned Rochlin | The naive and honest protagonist.[12] |
| Elizabeth Banks | Miranda Rochlin | The ambitious journalist sister.[12] |
| Zooey Deschanel | Natalie Rochlin | The free-spirited photographer sister.[12] |
| Emily Mortimer | Liz Rochlin | The housewife and devoted mother sister.[12] |
| Steve Coogan | Dylan | Liz's husband.[12] |
| Rashida Jones | Cindy | Natalie's girlfriend and a lawyer.[12] |
| Adam Scott | Jeremy | Neighbor with whom Natalie has a brief affair.[12] |
| T.J. Miller | Billy | One of Natalie's roommates.[12] |
| Shirley Knight | Ilene Rochlin | The sisters' and Ned's mother.[12] |