Finding Neighbors (2013) Reviews

• Finding Neighbors an Absolute Gem

  pampowell52014-06-13

  Rarely do you find a film that captures the essence of life and love---in middle age. "Finding Neighbors" does just that. This uniquely created film focuses upon the Sam, a formerly very successful graphic novelist who has a bad case of writers block with a past due deadline for his next creation. With his wife supporting him, Sam's interest pulls him into the lives of his neighbors. Little does he realize that looking outside of himself actually helps him look within himself. Sam not only finds neighbors, he finds himself. Middle Age. It's a phenomenon. And marriage within that time period is a stage all to its own. "Finding Neighbors" hits the nail on the head with thoughts, feelings, and self-doubt at that age. Sam's marriage has suffered with lack of communication and his lack of motivation just compounds the difficulties. Sam is also facing aging accompanied by a waning physique, but even with these issues, this outwardly appearing slacker is still very endearing. You see, his new-found neighborly relationships give the viewer insight into not just what makes Sam tick, but prods us to look within ourselves at our own progression in and through Middle Age. Even with the seriousness of Sam's situation and the conversations that awkwardly ensue, there is quite a bit of humor. The comedic situations are realistic and relatable. The story develops utilizing the art of graphic novel techniques interspersed with just adds to the level of entertainment. Middle age and marriage is a rough topic to handle with precision, accuracy, and humor. "Finding Neighbors'" writer and director, Ron Judkins, polishes this diamond into a sparkling story of life. If you're married and in your mid-life, you are going to enjoy this honest portrayal of life.

• a rare treat from a modern drama

  ts_worldwide2013-12-20

  Sam, the protagonist of Finding Neighbors, is a man in crisis, of a sort, struggling to deal with writer's block and the frustration of getting older. Stop there and I must, frustratingly, admit that I can relate all too well on both points. Dig a bit deeper into this film, however, and discover something magical. While the concept of an aging writer searching for… something – his youth, his muse, his soul – is nothing new, the story of Sam certainly is. Writer/director Ron Judkins utilizes the tagline 'not your Daddy's mid- life crisis movie' to draw attention to Finding Neighbors, and I feel hard-pressed to think of of a more appropriate or accurate way to boil this film down to a simple phrase. Where other 'mid-life crisis movies' take their leading men (or women) down often-implausible paths of depression or terror or acting out, concluding either with an even more impossible super-happy-fun-time resolution or a depressing-cum- frightening descent into (choose one) madness/violence/catatonia, Finding Neighbors takes Sam down a less traveled path. I refuse to offer spoilers, and will not divulge the details of Sam's journey, but I will clearly state that never before have I experienced a 'mid-life crisis movie' that is as engaging, entertaining, or ultimately satisfying as this one. Michael O'Keefe wears the character of Sam so well that I can't help but state that this feels like the role he was born to play – and he's been in some fantastic stuff, including Caddyshack (!). Sam may experience a few pitiful moments, but he never falls into the trap of seeming pathetic, and that alone is a key differentiator between this film and most others of its kind. Catherine Dent (The Shield) shines as Sam's wife, Mary, deftly avoiding the traps that plague most 'wife' characters in most 'mid-life crisis movies' and never forcing me, as the viewer, to choose sides before any conflict even begins. What locks me in to a 'perfect score' review of Finding Neighbors is the amazing supporting cast of neighbors that give the film its title. Blake Bashoff (Lost) is infinitely likable as Jeff – imagine a perfectly charming blend of Jon Cryer and Matthew Broderick – while Julie Mond (General Hospital) steals every scene she's in by reinventing the sexy- girl-next-door archetype for the 21st century. In short, Finding Neighbors is both sentimentally mature and as grippingly can't-turn-away-for-even-a-second as a classic action movie – both rare treats from a modern drama.

• Waste of time, is Okay at best.

  jacobmounter2017-07-29

  Decent performances. But I was really just disappointed at the end. I was intregued throughout and trying to persevere, although I was borderline tempted to turn it off. The relationships weren't interesting enough. And the wife just creates all the problems, not the husband. He's not even depressed, he's just going through a dry spell artistically and she's just messing up his life. Watch the movie with this in mind. She doesn't have anything redeeming about her. The only interesting person was the female neighbour and she just disappears somewhere in the middle. Wouldn't recommend, there are tonnes of better movies to spend your time with, this one is just frustratingly all over the place.