Super Frat

Susan Sarandon, Jason Segel and Ed Helms star in this quirky comedy about two adult brothers and their mom.  Segel, plays Jeff, a 30 year-old stoner still living in his mom’s basement.  Ed, as his older brother Pat, plays kind of a jerky guy.  Susan Sarandon is the mom who works in an office and feels unfulfilled.  Judy Greer (who seems to be in everything now) is in it as Pat’s wife and Rae Dawn Chong is back as Sarandon’s co-worker.  (And no, Arnold Swartzenagger does not show up and show her how to use a bazooka.)

Mom and Pat are both working, but living unfulfilled lives.  Jeff, on the other hand, isn’t particularly fulfilled, but he is trying to make a go at looking at life.  While everyone around him looks outward, Jeff looks in and is in touch with himself on a level the rest of his family cannot understand.  I related a lot to this character, because I often felt that I was a lot like that person in my family.  (I didn’t live in the basement of my parents, I had my own room on the first floor, thank you.)  But while everyone is so caught up in their lives, they tend to forget what’s important.  Jeff, in many ways, is a philosopher, asking the big questions, while everyone around him contends themselves with the mundane tasks of living.

On a more basic level, the movie was funny.  Pat’s marriage is falling apart and after running into Jeff by chance, they end up following his wife to a hotel.  Helms is great as the “grounded brother” who turns out not to be so grounded.  Segel is great as the trippy brother with real insight.  I’m pretty biased for this movie because some of the reasons listed above, but I think it’s pretty entertaining.

I give Jeff, Who Lives at Home 8 out of 10 keggers.