A Little Help (2010)
It's a movie for everyone whose life has been thrown off-course, out of whack, or simply not turned out the way they planned it. In other words, it's a movie for everyone, period. Set in suburban Long Island in the summer of 2002, with the psychic wounds of 9/11 still fresh, A Little Help is a story that takes a comic, searching and profoundly empathetic look at a few pivotal months in the life of dental hygienist Laura Pehlke (Jenna Fischer)-an ordinary woman whose life suddenly flies off the rails-and her heroic efforts to re-establish a sense of security and normalcy for herself and her son.
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Absolutely Fantastic
It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Beautifully structured film with great performances from all. I genuinely felt sympathetic towards Laura throughout. Extra star for soundtrack which included tracks from Jakob Dylan.
I don't know the tastes of the average moviegoer who gives this a 5.5 but I got much pleasure from watching this very real movie about real people getting through life--fumbling through life. The director's touch is soft and delicate; the characters are real, three-dimensional, imperfect,vulnerable and lovable.Yes, I can see how someone could be bored by the movie if they have ADHD and are looking for thrills/tension/resolution. Nothing much happens in the movie and there is no grand resolution at the end, so it won't do well in the box office. But smart and sensitive connoisseurs of psychological movies will appreciate the gentleness of the story.It really is a movie about family relationships and the subtle tensions and adjustments that happen.If you have soft eyes to gaze at the humanness of ordinary people going through their private pain, compassion for the heart and spirit they show in keeping their head above water and appreciative of a director who is not trying to hit you on the head with a heavy moral message--watch this movie.I am left feeling wistful and mellow having watched some very real, complex and believable characters. Loved it.
A little help was a surprisingly nice family drama. It isn't your average Hollywood movie. If you expect the typical Sandra Bullock feature, you probably won't like it. If you expect Jenna Fisher's character to be a perfect middle-class mother, you probably won't like it either. It isn't Pleasantville. Her characters smokes and drinks too much. She and her son gets into big fights, sometimes about nothing. And it isn't supposed to be funny like an episode of Married with children or a Wes Anderson movie.If you are looking for a movie with realistic family dynamic and flawed characters who try to do their best, you should watch this movie. Jenna Fisher has a few memorable scenes throughout with her controlling mother-in-law, a litigation lawyer and her son. Despite all her quirks, she is pretty much adorable. Actually, her flaws in the movie make her adorable and cool. It seems that some people did not like the movie because they felt frustrated at the main character's actions. In their eyes, Jenna Fisher's character never does the *right* thing. Sure she made a few bad decisions like lying for her son. On the other hand, I get the feeling that some of the haters just identified themselves with the slimy lawyer or some of the other very judgmental and controlling characters.This is not a must-watch movie but I would definitely recommend it.
This was a great film! I saw this at the San Diego Film Festival a couple of weeks ago and it was a happy little surprise. Jenna Fischer did an amazing job, as a matter of fact, EVERY actor in this film was tremendous. The film was very believable, it focused on a young mother who's marriage is falling apart. She is slowly drifting into a hopeless state; being unloved and slightly alcoholic in return. Then her life changes when events unfold. We watch her handle all these problems at once and still we see her emerge as a better person in the end. The film is not as much of a downer as it sounds, and there is plenty humor in it. The best thing about this film is the reality of it, it's very easy to relate to. The relationships are believable as well as the situations and dialog. I enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it. This film and Nowhere Boy were my two favorite films from the festival.