Better classified as dramedy, but with more dra than medy.
Watching the trailer for Cyrus, you might think it was a comedy. It stars Jonah Hill, who has made a name for himself starring in R-rated comedies such as Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and the upcoming Get Him to the Greek, and John C. Reilly, who has starred with Will Ferrell in Step Brothers and Talledega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby. Cyrus is probably better classified as dramedy, but with more dra than medy.
John C. Reilly is John, a lonely man recently divorced, who is trying to cope with the fact that his ex-wife Jamie (Catherine Keener) is getting re-married. John reluctantly attends Jamie’s engagement party and awkwardly tries to flirt with the ladies there. He gives up and retreats outside to relieve himself in the bushes, where he meets Molly (Marisa Tomei). To John’s surprise, Molly actually flirts with HIM and the two begin a very sweet relationship. They are both a little shy and awkward, and they really hit it off from the start.
However, Molly seems guarded about her personal life. When she abruptly leaves John’s house one night, John follows her home and falls asleep in his car. The next morning, he wakes up and walks to her house only to find Molly isn’t there. Her son Cyrus (Jonah Hill) is.
Cyrus is 22 and hasn’t left the house yet. He and his mother have a very close relationship. VERY close. I’m not giving anything away – all of this is in the trailer – when I say that weird things happen, like Cyrus walking in the bathroom while Molly is taking a shower, and John finding a picture of Molly nursing a child of approximately 3 years of age. Cyrus feels intimidated by Molly’s new relationship and tries to sabotage it in any way he can.
Cyrus is more about the budding relationship between John and Molly than it is about Cyrus. He just happens to be the biggest obstacle in their relationship. While funny things do happen on occasion, the movie is generally more awkward than funny. The writing by the Duplass Brothers (The Puffy Chair) is perfect, as the audience can immediately empathize with John. These are some of my personal favorite actors, and they are all fantastic. Cyrus recently premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and will have its theatrical release this July. I highly recommend checking out this quirky film, just don’t go expecting a typical raunchy Jonah Hill comedy.
Director: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
Notable Cast: John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, Catherine Keener
Writer(s): Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
