By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"People like Us" is the latest film from director/screenwriter Alex Kurtzman ("Star Trek" and "Transformers").
The romantic drama boasts a wonderful cast that includes Chris Pine ("Star Trek"), Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Wilde and Elizabeth Banks.
Sam (Chris Pine) is a fast-talking New York salesman who knows how to make money and lives for the moment. His life is moving along just fine until his girlfriend; Hannah (Olivia Wilde) tells him that his father has died.
Sam is shocked by the news, but not as much as you might expect. Sam and his father, a big time Hollywood record producer, never got along too well. He hadn't spoken to him in years. And he rarely reached out to his mother Lillian (Michelle Pfeiffer) in a long time either. So he's not looking forward to attending the funeral.
In fact, when he and Hannah leave for the airport, he intentionally misplaces his wallet and identification with hopes he'll miss the flight since he needs to show ID to board the plane.
When they finally arrive at his mother's house she slaps him for his arrogance and not taking time to visit them. Sam learns through his father's friend and attorney Ike Rafferty (Philip Baker Hall), that there was more to his father than meets the eye.
He hands him a shaving kit that is filled with $150,000 and a note asking him to take care of a young woman named Frankie (Elizabeth Banks), an attractive waitress who turns out to be his half-sister.
Sam could use the money himself. He's made some bad investments and has gotten a bit in debt. But he tracks Frankie down at an AA meeting of all places and finds out that she also has a young son named Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario).
Josh has some issues in school and much of them stem from him not getting enough attention from his mother, his inability to make friends and the absence of a father figure in the home.
Sam can't bring himself to tell Frankie—for a variety of reasons-- that they are related. It becomes even more difficult when he starts to spend time with her and Josh and particularly when Frankie becomes attracted to Sam.
Every character in "People like Us" is appealing and draws the audience to them. And the storyline is authentic and convincing too, perhaps in part because Kurtzman has stated that the film is loosely based on his own life.
"People like Us" taps into our emotions regarding family and life choices. The movie is a welcome entry into the romantic drama genre and one that is well worth seeing.
Editor's Note: You can also catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment by tuning in to the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 6:40 p.m. on radio station KFBK 1530 AM and 92.5 FM. Or you can log on to www.kfbk.com.
Here's the link for
People Like Us.
