The Adults (2023) User Reviews

Came for Cera, got a low key honest siblings slice of life

[Rob-O-Cop · 6/10 · 13 August 2023]

I love Michael Cera's work and really rate him as an actor and his taste in projects. He is always interesting.

This film, although a long way from what we usually expect from him was still a good effort. This film is straight up family drama, not a comedy. It shows the quirks and reality of a trio of siblings left without their matriarch and patriarch to find their own path in the world, as they develop their own quirks and flaws as individuals apart from each other. The family house is still there, and the remnants of the siblings routines and mannerisms they developed as they grew up together, now apart.

Cera's character has developed an obsessive card game addiction, and we see this through him fobbing off friends and family in order to get his gaming fix, Sophia Lillis's character had drifted along with her frail quirky character and Hannah Gross's character had pulled back into her shell, still damaged by the loss of their mother and trying to find her path.

The movie was well made and acted and I appreciated the non hollywood approach to the film-making as they made a very real, honest, recognisable portrayal of family dynamics and human failings.

If you were looking for some light relief with good Cera style humour this isn't it, but you can admire and acknowledge the good small movie this team have created. Cera wears the same clothes throughout, the house is realistically spartan, the family show love and failings believably, and the messages are subtle.

Do we ever really grow up?

[Tron79 · 7/10 · 1 October 2023]

I never had a secret cartoon voice with my brothers growing up. But I was fascinated by the quirky relationship between the three siblings in "The Adults". I took a gamble on the movie, because Sophia Lillis was in it, and I remembered Michael Cera from Juno and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Seeing Michael Cera as an adult was sad. His sister Rachel was nicknamed Mopey Mopey, but Michael's character Eric was the one who moped around the whole time. He looked beaten down and barely squeaked out an emotion. This was juxtaposed to Sophia Lillis' character Maggie who had no problem showing her emotions. Since Michael's depressing character, Eric, was the protagonist, I had trouble getting through a number of his scenes, including most of his scenes when he was gambling in the shady backroom poker games. It was hard for me to see the man he had become after both of his parents died. From personal experience, after my mother passed away, it was hard to get the brothers back over for family dinners very often. Life got busy, and mom wasn't there to bring everyone together anymore. I see this with the three siblings in the movie.

The best parts of this movie were watching the three siblings reconnect through their cartoon language and their musical theater routines. Those elements felt real to me. My guess is that the writer based these on actual experiences. The longer Eric stayed with his sisters and fell back into his childhood world, I think the better adult he became. His sisters seemed to improve their disposition the longer he stayed with them also. It was interesting watching Rachel try out her cartoon voice with a co-worker who didn't get it. She was becoming more of herself, and perhaps eventually others will start appreciating her creativity. My older brother is the practical joker. He's also a very creative person as a writer. As a grandfather, he is teaching his 3-year-old granddaughter all kinds of annoying habits that he was laughing about, such as telling her that her dad went bald because a squirrel came and ate his hair. Perhaps he said a skunk came. I often block out what my brother says! Then, he gets a call from his daughter asking what he's been telling his granddaughter. She was asking her dad about the squirrel who came to eat dad's hair and if it was coming back to eat her hair! My brother thought this was hilarious. My brother is 72 years old and still not what you would call an adult. Perhaps we never grow up or if we grow up too much, it doesn't hurt to remember what we were like as kids.

This was by no means a perfect movie, but if you enjoy watching strong acting performances, I recommend it. It was another great role for Sophia Lillis. And I'll give an honorable mention to Mopey Mopey, Hannah Gross. I believed her, and by the end, I felt for her character. I wouldn't mind visiting with the siblings again one day to see their newest song and dance routine!

A nothing experience

[jtindahouse · 4/10 · 11 August 2023]

'The Adults' is about as flat as films come. Very rarely does a scene have a pay off in this movie. Characters just interact in a fairly unusual and dis-interesting way and then the scene ends and we move on to the next interaction. Repeat for 90 minutes.

I'm always interested in how poker scenes are handled in movies. They are rarely handled well, but for the most part they were especially sloppy in 'The Adults'. We are often not shown the cards in the hand and yet we have to listen to the characters talk about them as if we have seen them. They are also done in a very bizarre manner where people say things during the hand that make no sense whatsoever and don't fit their motivations.

The movie finished and I realised I hadn't felt a single thing during the movie. I wasn't interested in the relationships, I never found it funny, I never found it sad. I simply felt nothing. This one was a miss. 4/10.

Couldn't do it

[beach_fl · 4/10 · 11 August 2023]

I made it halfway through. Not only is it a very slow slice-of-life film, the main character (Michael Cera's Eric) is so repellent, I just didn't want to spend any more time with him. He is inconsiderate, self-absorbed, cold, oblivious, and shallow. He blows off all these people who made plans to spend time with him in his rare visit, with barely a 'sorry.' Both of his sisters are obviously suffering, and he doesn't even seem to notice, let alone care. He even scolds the one who adores him. At one point, he shows what really matters to him (and it's not anyone else), and asks her why the other sister 'hates him.' The short answer is that he is just a JERK. The real question is why there is anyone in his life who actually tolerates him.

Excrutiatingly dreary, drab yet cringe-worthy 'real life' hipster drama

[danieljfarthing · 2/10 · 9 September 2023]

In dreary 'real life' hipster drama "The Adults" Michael Cera revisits his cold, drab NY state hometown where he'd rather play poker with strangers than reconnect with sisters Hannah Gross (between he & whom there are issues since their mum passed 5yrs back) & Sophie Lillis (who's apparently always idolised him (tho who knows why)). Over its 1hr 31mins (that seems longer) the siblings awkwardly communicate in in-jokes, silly voices and (most cringe-worthily) self-written song & dance routines that they used to do at Christmas etc. It may mean something to writer / director Dustin Guy Defa, but to most anyone else it'll be an excrutiating bore. Flush.

The movie turned out to be terribly sweet and heartbreaking

[kirillFromMoscow · 9/10 · 15 August 2023]

Such a movie is simply necessary to bring your personal psychological state back to normal. It is like a magic balm that helps in this soulless digital world to understand that you are not completely stale yet, that you can still feel and empathize. Previously, there were many times more such paintings, but now it is a rarity and it is a real crime to pass by it.

The plot is unpretentious, but the very history of the relationship between a brother and two sisters does not require otherwise. Eric (Michael Cera) and Rachel (Hannah Gross) make scenes for each other throughout the film, and poor Maggie (Sophia Lillis) finds herself between two fires, while trying in every possible way to reconcile them and terribly worried that nothing will come of it. The early loss of parents still leaves a mark on all this. Eric is a complete gamer who absolutely does not know how to lose, Rachel cannot leave the betrayal of a loved one in the past, Maggie dropped out of school and cannot decide what to do next in her life. Everyone has problems, and against this background, a meeting of brothers and sisters who have not seen each other for a very long time could help them all. But communication after a long break is not easy at all. And all because they have become adults. Only a passion for poker makes Eric postpone his departure over and over again, giving hope to Maggie that everything will work out.

Separately for Maggie - this character was as if specially written for the wonderful and inimitable Sophia Lillis. It seems that she does not play, but simply behaves as she does in life. I can't remember a greater immediacy in the frame. She can joke merrily, and in a second lower her head and sadly lower her blue eyes to the ground. The role is played superbly, because you are only worried about her throughout the film, the problems of her older brother and sister, coupled with personal disorder in life, greatly undermined her psychological state.

A very touching moment at the beginning of the film, when Eric came to Maggie's house in the morning and said that in order to communicate with her and Rachel, he would stay for another day. She cried and buried herself in his chest, and it was so natural that tears welled up in me myself.

Yes, the movie is not without its drawbacks, but I personally really liked it, the ending is warm and pleasant. This story makes you remember that your relationships with loved ones are also, to put it mildly, far from ideal, that you need to love and protect your relatives, because there is nothing more important than this.

9 out of 10

For a good, helpful story and the lovely Sophia Lillis.

What a dud

[imseeg · 4/10 · 12 August 2023]

I like(d) Michael Cera (the leading actor) comical charisma before in many other movies, one being in Barbie recently. Michael Cera was even producer of this movie himself so he must have had a lot of cloud to mold this movie, but it unfortunately fell flat.

The bad: it isnst a comedy, not even a quirky one. It isnt a drama for sure either. It is some sort of slowburning and BLAND portrait of 3 siblings (1 brother, 2 sisters) who get together again after a long time no see.

No surprising storyline. No original direction. No impressive technical details (sound, photography). No actor's chemistry.

I guess they wanted to create a quirky, comical personal portrait, but they failed big time...

Embarrassing

[bobak-fakhraee · 1/10 · 14 October 2023]

Love Michael Cera. When I saw this movie had him in it it seemed like a no brainer to watch it.

It's one of those movies where you wait for something interesting to happen... then you shift your expectations and think ok, maybe it's slow but the ending is really going to make the movie.

It doesn't. Nothing of any significance happens. The dance routines, songs, voices, impressions - they were all so cringeworthy I felt embarrassed.

Hannah Gross was excellent and Sophia Lillis I liked too.

But the story line... it really wasn't explained or portrayed in a way that you felt involved. The scenes lingered but with no impact or emotional investment. Then it just ended.

If you've read this to decide whether to watch it, just save your time and pick whatever your other options are.

Siblings that don't know how to comunicate

[AuVid · 2/10 · 12 September 2023]

A weird trio of siblings that simply don't know how to communicate or never got the opportunity to grow up and relate to each other in a different, more meaningful way than that when they were little children.

Other than that, the seemingly endless stream of drama that comes from these people's trauma and unresolved issues just occupy the screen almost 100% of the time.

There is no history to be told here, no character development, no proper light and shade, no dynamic that makes watching this even remotely tolerable.

I would recommend avoiding it, as there are so many better alternatives to do with your time out there - better movies and activities alike.

Almost unwatchable

[aaronhuggett · 3/10 · 5 February 2024]

Did Michael Cera lose a bet? My new least favourite movie. So odd, so so bad. A steaming pile of art that missed the canvass. Soulless and irritating. After the first 20 minutes I kept watching out of pure morbid curiosity for how it could possible end. It says the runtime was one hour and thirty one minutes, but the second and third acts just barrelled on for what felt like weeks. I aged watching this film. I need two hundred more characters for this review, so I'll finish by listing things I'd rather watch: paint dry, puppies cry, YouTube videos of 1990s commercials, promotional videos for timeshare condos, the Montreal Canadians.

Grown up (kids)

[kosmasp · 10/10 · 15 June 2023]

No pun intended - you kind of get that just by the title. You understand that the movie may be about people that one would consider (or rather call) adult ... and you can tell by looking at them, but even more so by the way they act (no pun intended here either), that they are still stuck ... they are quite childish in a lot of ways. And I think this movie is quite - well it touches more than one nerve with this - for a whole or more generation.

Michael Cera may be known more for his comedic roles, but there is a reason he also produced this. He wanted to stretch his acting muscles ... and that he does. Great overall cast - the movie and the story feel like they are ... well it almost feels documentary like ... at times at least.

The very first scene of our main character ... he already tells us a lot. Where he is - mentally speaking that is. A really good movie that seemed to have made an impact at the Berlin Festival when it played there (Berlinale)

Absolutely mindless, boring, pretentious garbage

[enigma-947-339467 · 1/10 · 20 August 2023]

The title really says it all. The first 8 mins you watch the main character set up electronics in his hotel room. Absolutely riveting!!!

The last thing people wanna do when they see a movie, is watch people do mundane, boring, mindless crap that isn't even remotely interesting to watch.

I gave up 15 mins in.

I was literally fast forwarding to see if this was all there was to this movie. Wooden, plain, unlikable, boring characters, having the most boring banter imaginable, like robots. Driftwood has more personality and life than these characters.

I can't imagine how lifeless and boring your life is that you would sit there and watch this tripe. I feel like I should have been paid to sit through this, as it was pure torture. I'd rather watch paint dry.

Strange in a good way

[drjacobgrayson · 9/10 · 14 August 2023]

You'll think this movie is either a 3/10 or a 9/10. Read on and decide... I wasn't sure what the plot was or if there was a plot. There is no real beginning or ending, no moral or message. The characters seem to have a lot of history and backstory that we dont know and that we arent going to learn. Sometimes the characters would break into some song and dance or funny voices that seem to go back to their childhood, but it was never explained . The movie doesn't fit a category like drama or romance; rather it has some of everything: charm, warmth, annoyances, humor, anger. The movie has a lot of depth but about what? I'm not sure but I liked what I saw and heard and felt.

Okay, does all that sound like a 3 or a 9?

Loved it

[DavidMcMahon · 8/10 · 9 September 2023]

Really interesting to see the mixed opinions on this. I really enjoyed it. It's a beautiful portrayal of sibling relationships, and so much in the movie is in what's unsaid. This can sometimes be frustrating in movies like this but there's so much depth in the characters and performances from the three leads that you can feel their complexities and pain, but also the unique connection they have. Reminiscent of the also great Skeleton Twins. I think it's currently really underrated on here and I'm glad I decided to watch it, based purely on a clip of Michael Cera's (excellent) Tony Soprano impression.

Magnificent

[yodawalker · 10/10 · 17 August 2023]

This one made me feel things. I identify myself in this story, a very tasty slice of life, it might be slow for those who can't appreciate a good dull but tempting work of art. I'm a big fan of Michael Cera's work (my favorite film is Scott Pilgrim Vs The World) and I think his performance in this footage is really good, he can deliver a good character with his issues and resolutions, some might not like this character due his personality but that's not a movie problem, that's how it's supposed to be. Hannah Gross' performance is heartbreaking, you can really see the sadness and disapointment in her eyes, you really can tell that her character isn't okay. Sophia Lillis' performance warms my heart, every time her character enters the scene I just start to smile unconsciously, definitely my favorite character. I could identify myself in this movie because I had a really strong connection with my sister and my cousin, it stills pretty strong but not the way it used to be, seeing them interacting like that really made me think that i should spend more time with my sister and cousin.

It does what it does exceptionally well

[eoghan-90238 · 9/10 · 26 September 2023]

I'm a fan of slow burning realism, and there have been a good few this couple of years (Emily the criminal to an extent and more recently Past Lives).

The Adults easily joins the club.

It's not a standard villain plot which is refreshing, it's more like a perverted watching of a dysfunctional but still loving family try to reconnect.

I loved the mechanisms they used to try to voice their true feelings under a comedic guise. While maybe a little on the nose, this is common in society from simple posture reads to mor complex body language hiding.

Nonetheless it's done well and it's done in a warming style harking back to the childhood that is lost but struggles to persist.

Each of the lead actors were exceptional. They felt like real people which you see in maybe 1/100 films lately.

Is it for everyone? Absolutely without a doubt no. But for those it's targeted towards it will make a very compelling watch.

Great Movie

[tgs-69358 · 9/10 · 23 October 2023]

This movie was incredibly done and a nice surprise. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in a real life movie. A little slow, but in a good way. Michael Cera and his sisters all did a great job acting in this movie. All very talented and it is great to see Cera in a movie like this, as I have always been a fan of his work. This movie is a combination of drama and comedy, and will really make you think of your own life.

The people who gave it one stars and call it boring can stick to their Fast and Furious, Marvel blockbusters. I find those much more boring. Great job on The Adults, we need more movies like this.

Strong American indie film with well-earned heart, heartbreak and something more than either

[mosheq · 10/10 · 8 September 2023]

This was a delightful film for all its sensitivity, nuance of story development, and how it respects the awareness and intelligence of its audience. Its craft in storytelling starts strong at the get-go with an in medias res delivery. We enter the story in the middle of some specific scenario between three main characters with history between them. Through somewhat exquisite gradations delivered in a plain and straightforward manner, the film reveals increments of who they are with respect to each other, the nature of their inter-connected backgrounds, and what shades of affinity or tension have existed and continue between them. The essential conflicts and struggles are clear, crisp and relatable, made artfully pleasurable by strong and believable performances across the board, including all the minor characters. Sophia Lillis is the emotional anchor of the film, delivering a layered and wholly winsome performance as the sister who needs and fails to get so much.

Precious

[LarsParsLars · 10/10 · 22 August 2023]

Grateful to find this! A family working through and experiencing many things. Anger, sadness, fear, pain, confusion, the urge to rescue, vulnerability, embarrassment, love, loss, grief, elation, courage, unawareness, awareness, surprise, ego, dread, regret, selfishness, intensity, peace, humor, laughter, joy, letdown, emotional suspense, neediness, coldness, nostalgia, awkwardness, laughter, empathy, hilariousness, addiction, grace, surprise, hope, exhaustion, depression, frustration, resistance, letting others down, persistance.

Thank you to all the cast! I was already loyal to Michael Cera and he didn't disappoint and have now found new actors!

Lol, especially loved the dance scenes =)