Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Depressing story of drug-addled men has no appeal.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
I Melt with You
What's the Story?
Four fortysomething friends meet at a beach house for their annual reunion and to celebrate one friend's birthday. Richard (Thomas Jane) is a former writer who's now a teacher, Jonathan (Rob Lowe) is a shady doctor who's probably addicted to drugs, Ron (Jeremy Piven) is a businessman trapped in a bad deal, and Tim (Christian McKay) blames himself for his lover's death. The four men regress to college-age behavior -- binging on alcohol and drugs -- and try to bury their pain, regret, and misery. Unfortunately, a suicide brings to light a forgotten pact that they made 25 years earlier. Will this old promise come back to haunt them?
Is It Any Good?
Director Mark Pellington creates a vivid bond between four realistic characters, and in the process coaxes four painfully revealing performances. The actors really earned their paychecks here. And (not surprisingly considering that Pelington is a part-time music video director) the movie has some great songs -- by the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Stone Roses, etc. -- from the era in which the men might have first met.
But that's where the good stuff ends. Pellington's camera zooms in on the characters' bleary, ravaged faces and makes sure that their long partying binge doesn't look even the least bit attractive. That's fine, but the actual result is sad, pathetic, anxious, and depressing. And then, at the halfway point, things take a turn for the worse. If only Pellington could have found some kind of balance, offered some relief from time to time, then he might have had an intriguing study of middle-aged men in crisis instead of this grim, often ludicrous cautionary tale.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the characters' use of alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Does the movie glamorize drinking, drugging, and smoking? What consequences do characters face?
Is there any way these characters could have found help -- or hope? What resources do people have when they feel at the end of their rope?
Do you think the young characters will grow up to be as disillusioned as the older ones? Does the movie have anything positive to say?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 9, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : February 28, 2012
- Cast : Jeremy Piven , Rob Lowe , Thomas Jane
- Director : Mark Pellington
- Studio : Magnolia Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 122 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : pervasive drug use and language, some violence and sexual content
- Last updated : May 1, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate