Sameer Callahan
It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
Maleeha Vincent
It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Geraldine
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
phoenix 2
Oh, man! I should've known by now that movies with more than two big names in the cast are never good. Especially when they are trying to be funny and romantic. Maybe I'm going soft and I'm giving this movie a 2, because, for real, I can't find anything that can support my reasons for this rating. The performances were probably okay, maybe the idea behind the movie was interesting, but that's it. The plot started nicely, even though the narration of the first sequences was unnecessary. However, as the film proceeded, the quality of the movie and the story itself went way down with the worst part of it the ending. What the hell happened in the ending? Maybe it's only me that I didn't get it. Anyway, the movie has no main idea, I mean, is it about children with divorced parents? Is it about a specific person and his emotional break down? Is it about a crazy family? Is it about the romance? No idea (plus the ending didn't help at all with that). The scenes followed one another freely and many didn't make sense, and the characters popping up from everywhere were too many to make the movie confusing and they didn't add anything really. So 2 out of 10 and I'm being really really nice here.
Ben Parker
So first of all, it stands for Adult Child of Divorce and its the main reason no-one heard of this one. It sounds like a disorder, and people go see comedies that seem like a good time, not a lot of work.Adam Scott's little bro wants to get married, and its his job to try and get his warring divorced parents to be in the same room together.Jane Lynch, Mary Elisabeth Winstead, Amy Poehler, Katherine O'Hara and Richard Jenkins are all great. Funny likable cast, terrific situation comedy, its only about 20 minutes too long. Truly the only reason this got buried was that terrible unwieldy title.6/10 outwore its welcome by the end, but still, underrated.
Johan Dondokambey
The story touches on a pseudo-science of the all too common syndrome of the American culture of having dysfunctional families. The assumption on top of this wreckage of a family culture also turns out to be non of a comedy deserving any praise. With the story offering many twists and surprises, the movie still is not a good entertainment. The story build up takes too long. The humor often is too corny. Also the drama side often lacks strength. The acting overall is also not a good job. Adam Scott seems to forget that this movie is meant to be a comedy, delving too deep at the drama side. Richard Jenkins and Catherine O'Hara tried their best and played their parts at a standard quality for a comedy. Having Mary Elizabeth Winstead really did nothing to help the acting overall.
Matt Wyatt
In A.C.O.D. Adam Scott plays Carter, a successful restaurateur who seems to have it all. As a child however his parents (Richard Jenkins and Catherine O'Hara) were involved in a brutal divorce that drug on for years. When Carter's Brother Trey (Clark Duke) announces he is getting married, Carter tries to get his parents to a place where they can be in the same room for the sake of the wedding. Overwhelmed by the task, Carter turns to what he thinks is his childhood therapist Dr. Judith (Jane Lynch). Only he finds out she was an author who was using him as a subject of a study, Children of Divorce. Once they reconnect, Dr. Judith is inspired to write a follow up to her best seller and revisit the kids she included in the study. Along the way of preparing for his brother's wedding and participating in the new study we learn that Carter isn't as well adjusted as he seems. At which point all seems to go haywire for our viewing enjoyment. I enjoyed this film on many levels. The acting to start is what really makes this film, you could not have found a better cast. It's great to see Adam Scott and Richard Jenkins together, given how well they worked together in Stepbrothers (2008). Catherine O'Hara is always a pleasure to see in any comedy, a very underrated actress. Be it Home Alone (1990), Best in Show (2000) or Orange County (2002) she never disappoints. I hope that there are at least talks somewhere for her to do another Christopher Guest film full of adlibbed genius. Jane Lynch as the therapist/author is great as usual, not far off from the therapist role she played in Two and a Half Men. She does snarky sarcastic to a fine art form. Amy Poehler as the stepmother is funny as well, hard to miss with her in anything. Clark Duke is what I refer to as the poor man's Jonah Hill. He will work in the same capacity, just with limited acting range. I always feel like he is the exact same guy in every movie I see him in, Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) or Sex Drive (2008). What really made this film for me personally was the great indie rock soundtrack. As the film progressed I was surprised by more and more musical gems, Dirty Gold, Okkerville River, Deer Tick, Architecture in Helsinki, Audio Paint and Dr. Dog. If you are a fan of music the soundtrack alone is worth catching the movie for. Overall I would recommend A.C.O.D., its irreverent family dysfunction at its most entertaining levels. The film has a very hipster independent film feel, but not so much to where it's off putting. Currently the film is available on Netfilx and is easily a must see of comedies available on the format. If you enjoyed this review, please check out my blog at yourturntopick.com
