Parents' Guide to Unplugging

Despite its two capable comedic leads, this romcom doesn't rise above the level of stereotypical fish-out-of-water and off-the-grid jokes. The movie, directed by Debra Neil-Fisher working from Brad Morris and Walsh's script, starts out strong, with an obvious explanation of how attached the Dewersons, particularly Jeanine, are to their devices. There's a tragicomic plot point involving the funeral of Dan's extroverted UPS driver, Juan (Al Madrigal), whom he saw and chatted with six times a week. But once the couple arrives at their rustic getaway, the story falls short of cohesive or funny, even with supporting roles played by the talented but underused Keith David and Lea Thompson, with a brief cameo from Nicole Byer. Aside from one heartfelt conversation between Dan and Jeanine, there's also not much substance to the script.

It's certainly not terrible. There are far worse offerings in theaters and on streaming services, but Unplugging has an uneven tone, and the attempts at broad comedy fall flat (like Dan and Jeanine shoplifting from the neighborhood gas station convenience store, or playing a silly, charades-like game). These shortcomings mark it as the sort of movie that tests viewers' willingness to put down their own phone to watch. There are funny bits sprinkled throughout (less-is-more moments that rely on the actors' physical comedy timing), but not nearly enough of them. The movie serves as a reminder that both Walsh and Longoria are best served on TV series and should consider going back to their roots. As for this lackluster comedy, it's skippable for a big movie night but, ironically, serviceable as a background stream while you multitask.