I am an ardent fan of the cinematic arts. Although I have certain genre preferences, I don’t let that stifle my curiosity and close myself to different flavors of entertainment. That said...I am a huge fan of science fiction, super hero and action movies! Please visit my other blog The Boxed Office for reviews, exclusively, on these types of movies.
The Cast:
Vince Vaughn is always fun for me to watch. I like his style and his particular brand of humor strikes a chord with me. As David Wozniak, a man that in his youth, donated sperm and is now the father of over 500 children (over 100 of which file suite to reveal his identity), Vaughn downplays some of that humor in favor of trying to really tell a touching story.
Chris Pratt is Vaughn’s lawyer and friend, Brett, who thinks the suite can be won while also being a big break for his litigation business. Gaining 60 pounds for the role shows how serious Pratt takes his character and delivers good comic relief that plays off the drama Vaughn tries to deliver.
Cobie Smulders is Vaughn’s girlfriend Emma. Her pregnancy and desire to raise the child alone due to David’s lack of commitment to life in general sparks the soul searching he does, which later gets exacerbated by the revelation of all the children he has fathered. It’s not a very large or demanding role, but she delivers good enough to add some depth to the situation.
The Plot:
David Wozniak is an underachiever committed to doing just enough to get by and despite his passion and good intentions, can’t seem to get life to click for him in a consistent and meaningful way that reflects positivity to those that care about him.
Faced with the prospect of being a father due to Emma’s pregnancy, David uses the pregnancy as a catalyst for change. Soon after he finds out that his sperm has been used to father over 500 children twenty years ago, and sees this development as the means change his ways and show Emma he can be a reliable and capable person.
Over 100 of his children have filed a lawsuit to reveal David’s identity and his friend Brett takes the case in hopes to further his career and protect David.
David decides, against the advice of Brett, to explore some of the profiles of the children filling suite and begins to involve himself in their lives. Feeling empathetic for their situation and wanting to alleviate their angst and take some responsibility, he grows ever closer to many of them which begins the change in himself he is seeking.
What follows is a story that explores the growth of David in his quest to become a better man by being a father and friend to strangers seeking answers only he can give them.
The Verdict:
I very much expected this to be a side-splitting comedy and anticipated this film as such just based on past performances by Vaughn and my particular connection to his brand of humor. While it does have some very funny parts, I found it to be more drama oriented with hints of comedy thrown in for good measure.
I wasn’t disappointed by my expectations not being met, indeed this is a lesson to me to always view films with an empty cup and let myself be filled by their content. Instead of disappointment, I was intrigued by Vaughn’s departure from his norm in favor of delivering something more meaningful than just laughs.
As a parent, this film resonated with me on many levels. Watching Vaughn’s self-sacrifice and investment in his children elevated the substance of this film and gave it a real-life relevance that contradicted the implausibility of the situation
It was a welcome surprise and could be the beginning of Vaughn’s venture into more serious roles. This may not be a film for everyone, but it certainly reproduced three cinnamon sticks, out of five, in my cup of tea.
Rating 3/5
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