Respond to these rapid questions in our Home Again quiz and we will tell you which Home Again character you are. Play it now.
Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with indulgent escapism as a commodity in the film industry. However, it’s probably a little out of touch right now to go see a cream-puffy Hollywood rom-com fantasy involving coddled well-off people in a posh theater. To illustrate, consider that one of the more significant setbacks experienced by at least three of the main characters at some point in “Home Again” is their decision to eat cold leftover lasagna straight from the same red Le Creuset skillet. Oh, the humanity of it all.
The film opens with Alice, a newly separated mother of two who we first meet as she sobs in her bathroom on her 40th birthday. After witnessing thousands of Houstonians forced out of their own now-demolished homes by a devastating flood and their self-sacrificing rescuers, I found it difficult to feel much sympathy for Alice, played by Reese Witherspoon in the film. Her husband (Michael Sheen), who lives in New York City and works in the music industry, has reportedly refused to give up the hard-partying lifestyle that comes with the territory. Because of this, she and her two precocious elementary school daughters have returned to Los Angeles, where her ex-actress mother (Candice Bergen, the only cast member who is able to generate much comic energy from her semi-comedic lines) and a ready-made network of excited gal pals applaud her decision to return.
The fact that Alice has inherited a vintage spread from her late Oscar-winning director-father, a revered ’70s icon, as well as an iconic sports car, means that finding a new home will not be a problem for her. Sorry, I don’t have the gene that instantly recognizes a car’s make and model, but the sloping roof suggests that it’s a Porsche. In addition to an indoor pool and an outdoor courtyard large enough for her to host group yoga classes for her friends, the one-story, Hacienda-style residence is equipped with a fireplace and a laundry room. Also on the property, there is a spacious cottage, which allows three financially strapped 20-something filmmaking brothers (Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, and Pico Alexander, a name that sounds like a cocktail) to camp out with her while they await the completion of their film deal with Universal. The fact that Alice met this trio on a drinking binge while celebrating her 40th birthday at a bar and almost slept with one of them (Alexander, who is adorable and knows it) seems like the bare minimum she can do to help them out. This results in a very large and amusing makeshift family. She then receives an unexpected visit from her estranged husband, who shows up at her door unannounced. Following that, there are some supposedly amusing testosterone-induced alpha-male antics.
But you shouldn’t waste any more time and start this Home Again quiz.
The blizzard of white privilege that blankets “Home Again” is almost blinding in its intensity (I counted three ethnically diverse actors in small speaking roles). If this sounds like a junior-league spin on a show like “It’s Complicated,” with the addition of our heroine relying on her trio of house guests as unpaid child-care providers, a tech troubleshooter, and a live-in boy toy, that’s because it is exactly what it sounds like. All over this is the scent of Nancy Meyers, the queen of upper-class affairs of the heart set in a decadently decorated setting. However, she is actually working on the production from the sidelines as one of the producers. Instead, this is the brainchild of her 30-year-old novice writer-director daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, and the organic apple didn’t fall far from the artisanal tree in terms of inspiration and execution.
Home Again Quiz
For what it’s worth, I confess to having a soft spot for much of Meyers’ oeuvre following her divorce from husband Charles Shyer (who did less well without her input): “What Women Want,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “The Holiday,” and “The Intern” are all perfect wish-fulfillment chick flicks, and each is eminently re-watchable. However, even if “Home Again” were to be released during a time when there was no national crisis affecting a large portion of the country, it would still appear to be out of character. She has stated that she wanted to reflect the fact that women are getting divorced earlier in their lives these days, as well as put a gender twist on the traditional May-December romance. That’s all right. However, once Alice summons the courage to confront her obstacles verbally, she realizes that they aren’t all that difficult or even that significant of a problem. Her kindly estranged husband longs for her return. Her young sex partner, who is easy to get to, has maturity issues. It is a stereotype of a self-centered nightmare that Lake Bell encounters when starting her new career as a decorator. This client is completely wasted by the role that Lake Bell is given.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Home Again quiz.
Speaking of which, Witherspoon is taking at least two steps backward in her role as Alice, following her award-winning performances in “Wild” and “Big Little Lies” on television. To be honest, she is far too intelligent an actress to believably portray a gullible victim who is prone to panic attacks and being taken advantage of by others. A problem exists when her brief impersonation of Bell’s snarling Labradoodle is the most amusing scene in the entire film.
About the quiz
According to Meyers-Shyer, the most unbelievable part of the film—that Alice would allow three strangers to move in with her and her two young daughters—actually happened to a woman who was familiar with the script. Fine. However, it was her responsibility to make it believable in her film rather than just a plot device. Yes, her casual-chic interior designs are just as beautiful as her mother’s were when she was younger. “Home Again,” on the other hand, never really made me feel at home.Also, you must try to play this Home Again quiz.
For more personality quizzes check this: Rings Quiz.
