Home Again

Writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer (daughter of filmmakers Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer) launches her own career with this character-driven romantic comedy, focusing on Alice (Reese Witherspoon), who has just separated from her workaholic, Manhattan-based, music-producer husband (Michael Sheen) and moved to Los Angeles, where her deceased Oscar-winning director dad left her a sprawling Spanish mansion. Celebrating her 40th birthday, Alice is picked up by 27-year-old Harry (Pico Alexander), an aspiring filmmaker who just happens to be looking for a place to live—along with his ambitious moviemaking pals/partners (Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky). Alice's mother (Candice Bergen), who is flattered that the young men recognize her as a former cinema siren and is charmed by their passion for films, suggests that they bunk in the luxurious guest cottage. And Alice's precocious young daughters (Lola Flanery, Eden Grace Redfield) adore the amiable, energetic guys, who quickly become intricately involved in their lives. Alice discovers that it's nice to have millennials around the house, with 24/7-computer tech service, live-in babysitters, and sex with someone 13 years younger. In a silly subplot, Alice's attempt to launch a new career as an interior decorator is being torpedoed by an obnoxious, self-involved socialite (Lake Bell). There are contrivances galore in this implausible chick-flick, but Witherspoon and Bergen display their considerable flair for comic timing. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer and producer Nancy Meyers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a flawed rom-com.] (S. Granger)