Summer has officially arrived. Schedules are busy, and your weekends are filling up. Summer movies are coming out, and it’s a race to the finish, who will have the best summer movie.
But Sometimes a movie comes out that has total heart, makes you stop for a minute to look at your own family, and appreciate them even more, and sometimes, a movie makes you CRY like a baby.
Let me introduce you to the movie, “People Like Us” that officially opened up in theaters today: June 29th, 2012.
Movie Synapis pulled from Dreamworks Pictures:
Sam (Chris Pine), a twenty something, fast-talking salesman, finds his latest deal collapsing on the same day he learns that his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home, where he must put his father’s estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. In the course of fulfilling his father’s last wishes, Sam uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside-down: He has a 30-year-old sister Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) whom he never knew about. As their relationship develops, Sam is forced to rethink everything he thought he knew about his family-and reexamine his own life choices in the process.
And now let me tell you my 8 reasons for going to see this movie:
1) The story is based on real life events.
Writer/Director Alex Kurtzman, when young, knew his father was married before and had two other children. Separated by distance and 15 years, the other family led their lives and Kurtzman led his. They never met one another.
One day, Kurtzman, began to think about the other family, and this was the beginning of “People Like Us.” What if, when he was young, he had actually met his half-brother or sister and never realized it? Ironically, on the same day of these thoughts, literally, three hours later, at a party he attended, a woman walked up to him and said, “I am your sister.” Kurtzman had the personal connection when working on “People Like Us,” and is a huge reason as to why this film has so much heart.
Kurtzman eventually collaborated with Roberto Orci, his writing and business partner for over 20 years. When collaborating, Orci also shared a personal account about his aunt, in which she discovered her father had a secret family she knew absolutely nothing about. In which, they then combined the stories.
2) Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks Working Together!
Let me tell you, these two have spark, they have chemistry, and wow, they shined on screen together. One of my favorite parts of the movie was when they were having tacos together, and they were bantering back and forth with one another. It was just fun watching these two.
3) The Writing
Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jody Lambert were the three writers behind “People Like Us.” Through their screenplay, they were clever, witty, and heartfelt. They also put in clues along the way that all made sense as you reached the end of the movie. Very well thought out, and even had you laughing during the movie. Each writer brought something different to the table, and in the end, remained friends at the end of it 😉
4) The Music
Music was a huge component in this movie. The father of Sam (Chris Pine) dies in the beginning of the movie, but one thing they made his father was a man in the music industry. Music was a very critical part of tying the characters together throughout the movie, and a way to bring the past to the present.
Another great scene in the movie was when Sam (Chris Pine) first meets Josh (Michael Hall D’Addario) in a record store! The jokes during this interaction were very present to modern day era, and makes you laugh when you look back on it.
5) Michelle Pfeiffer
I love this woman, so the fact of seeing her acting again makes me all giddy inside.
6) Los Angeles
Okay, for a lot of you, this may not be reason enough to go see this film, but for me, now that I reside in LA, it’s great to watch a film that was filmed here. In the past I had no idea of these iconic places nor would I recognize them. However, now that I am familiar with this huge, beautiful city it’s great to recognize the locations within the movie, and say, “hey, I’ve been there,” or “I know where that place is.” *ahem* Yes, I’ve been to The Standard Hotel Bar 😉
7) The Ending
I don’t want to give it away, but the ending is what pulled the movie all together for me. And the ending was what made me gush over with tears. So prepare yourself, but enjoy the moment when it happens.
8) This movie has Heart
It makes you think family, it makes you think “what if,” it makes you think “love,” and so much more. This movie pulls at your heart strings, and in the end it has it all. Good writing, good acting, and it pieces all together quite nicely.
And this folks, is exactly why YOU should go see “People Like Us” sometime this weekend!
Disclosure: I was provided with a free screening of “People Like Us.” I loved the movie, and all opinions are my own. Information shared in this post was pulled from a packet of information given to me at the screening.
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