A Dysfunctional Family Affair... "People Like Us"

Sometimes the greatest family, is the family you don't know about.

The Story:

When a record producer dies, his son Sam (Chris Pine) heads home reluctantly with his girlfriend (Olivia Wilde).  He arrives late to console his mother (Michelle Pfeiffer), but Sam just wants to get back to his job before he gets in a world of trouble.  That's when he receives a windfall of cash from his father's will, with implicit instructions to give it to a boy named Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario) and to 'take care of them'.  That's when Sam discovers that he has a sister he never knew about named Frankie (Elizabeth Banks).  Sam could really use the money... nobody would ever know... but this is family...

Did I mention that it's based on a true story?

Of course not, but they claim it is.

Don't all movies make that claim nowadays?

But anyway, Sam could really use the dough, but the more he gets to know Josh and his new sister, the more troubled he becomes with making the decision to just take the money and run.  Things complicate further when Frankie mistakes this caring, sweet guy for a possible romantic interest.

Eww.

Naturally, it all blows up when he reveals who he really is, and then in typical family fashion... fights and grudges ensue.

Can Sam make everything right?

Maybe, just maybe, and with a little help from his father one last time, the family can become stronger.

It's a great ending.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I have now had the distinct pleasure of watching this film twice, so I would say that yes, I could watch it again and wouldn't be opposed to adding it permanently to the library.