This is the dark, brash, and witty story of an alcoholic television producer (Matthew Broderick)whose self-destructive behavior has led him to Las Vegas not to drink himself to death, but to track down and drag his niece to rehab (Brittany Snow). This is spurred by his sister-in-law’s revelation that her daughter has become a prostitute and his own wife’s revelation that he hasn’t been able to quit gambling.

It’s a movie about poor-decision making. I felt betrayed and too-close to the characters. It kept me on the edge of my seat and relaxed me with enough dry humor to choke a horse. The story and the dialogue are the two most outstanding portions, while the rest of the movie seems to be very contemporary and minimal. The cast is strong and was well-chosen; none of them seem to be stretching or reaching for something unfamiliar. Snow’s performance seems bizarre at first, but quickly shores itself up through her bouncy attitude. Some of the scenes are outrageous, but well within the scope of reality while there are a couple of aspects that are just too much (such as the amount of money Broderick loses at the casino).

Some people are destined to compulsively be self-destructive. Some people have to look out for those people. Sometimes no one does and sometimes they reject any help that might come their way. This is a story about all of that, and more.

4/5

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