Michael Ledo Social outcast and bad drinker Eli( Jesse Eisenberg) works as a stock boy but aspires to go to a prestigious arts college. His former teacher Dave (Neal Huff) has managed to arrange an audition for him. On the morning of the audition, Eli attempts to quickly straighten out a home life that has always teetered on disaster. His sister Nicole (Emma Rayne Lyle) talks to people through a foul mouthed sock puppet that needs to be laundered. His waitress mother (Melissa Leo) needs to go to rehab. However things don't go as planned.Rehab won't accept Eli's mother Penny because her urine is currently clean and she doesn't have insurance. They suggest she do drugs to dirty up her urine. Eli aids and abets his mother on her quest. He runs into the likes of drug dealer "Sprinkles" (Tracy Morgan). At this point the comedy kicks into gear. Eli ends up as a translator between Sprinkles and his Spanish speaking connection.The film has some comedy scenes, most notable when Tracy Morgan is involved, but for the most part it is a drama that involves people with some type of problem which can be argued that they center around Penny's addiction. It is not a dark comedy per se, the comedy is not about dark material.Eli's attraction for Chloe (Sarah Ramos) didn't seem to be well developed. Tracy Morgan as a drug dealer and his sidekick Black (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) lacked credibility in those roles as they were comically written while the other characters were more serious. It is a feel good movie, but not one that will make you hold your side with laughter.Parental Guide: F-bombs, no sex, no nudity.

Keith Jones "Why Stop Now" - A great movie, that will gain momentum over the years on cable, DVD and other media outlets. Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo and Tracy Morgan obviously knew a great script that gave each of them the reins on improvisation throughout the movie. Eisenberg carried the movie in every scene. Morgan found a way to use his dramatic expression, be funnier than ever, and still maintain his comedic identity. Isaiah Whitlock, Jr.(Black) showed a side of his acting capability that in six seasons of "The Wire" was not revealed. Melissa Leo was terrific and should have at least been nominated for an independent film award. Tanya Wright gave everyone a chance to see how the screen loves her. We will see more and more of her.

G P If this movie didn't hit home for some people, perhaps they've never grown up with an addict for a parent. While that's fortunate for them - for the rest of us who have - we can find some comfort in this movie, which somehow adds humor to an often painful experience.As I watched the movie, I was also convinced Melissa Leo must have interviewed my own mother for research. She was incredibly spot on - down to the hippie, disheveled clothing and hair, the premature strain of aging due to substance abuse, and all the associated wackiness. Despite it all, Melissa's character loved her children and wanted the best for them - her biggest challenge was learning how to keep it together. Even the family relationships with her perfect suburbanite sister, Jesse's character, and the pre-teen sister mimicked my own.I know people viewing my own life and that of my family can sometimes be horrified; I imagine this film produced the same effect for those who grew up with a more cookie-cutter existence. To those, I can understand why the plot and characters didn't thrill - but for me, I can attest this was/is an incredibly realistic view of my own family, right down to the Mother telling her son to watch his own self, because addiction is a "gene." The team who put this together is absolutely brilliant - brilliant because they depicted such a real and tragic situation in a funny, light-hearted way, through the eyes of someone who has been there and can chalk it up to life. I'd take this film any day over some Hollywood blockbuster, glittering up reality.

Boba_Fett1138 Well, there are so many movies out there you can so easily do without. That however doesn't mean that some of them are still being some good and fun ones to watch, of which this movie is a perfect example! Most people will probably never see this movie, also mostly because this movie is being a low-key and independent production. But really, that doesn't mean that this movie isn't worth checking out. It's nothing to run out for but I see this as a perfect movie to watch on a rainy afternoon or as a way to kill some time with. It's well made, occasionally funny but above all things it's being a very light movie to watch, making this movie easy to digest and simply pleasant to watch, despite of some of its main dramatic themes.That's probably the reason why I enjoyed watching this movie; it never gets an heavy or too serious one. It manages to find a pleasant balance between its drama and comedy elements, by mostly inserting comedic ingredients and oddball characters.The setup of the movie is very simple, when things slowly are spiraling down for a young piano student, played by Jesse Eisenberg. He gets in more and more trouble with his family when simply trying to take his mother to a rehab clinic. It's fun to watch the situations he gets in, as he meets more and more people along his way.It's really a movie that is mostly being carried by its characters and the actors who are portraying them. It might seem like an odd choice for Oscar nominated and winning actors such as Jesse Eisenberg and Melissa Leo to be in this little film but I can definitely see why they wanted to be in it. It's simply being a true actor's movie, in which they are truly able to shine, without having the pressure of a big budget and high expectations and Hollywood producers constantly breathing down their necks.I'm only taking off a point on its rating because of its sudden ending. Things didn't really felt wrapped up, at least not to me it didn't. The ending pretty much came out of the blue and I wish they did something more with it.Not a must-see in any way but it's simply a movie to have some good time with!6/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/