Movie Review: People Places Things

By Tim Murr

Graphic novelist and teacher Will Henry is coming to terms with losing the mother of his daughters to another man while trying to carve out more time in his life to be a hands-on father. And then he meets a new and wonderful woman, but with contradicting signs from his ex, he struggles with whom to pursue.

We’ve seen shades of sad-sack Will Henry in other emotionally wrenching comedies like Tree’s Lounge and Box of Moonlight, and like those films, at the heart of People Places Things there is a simple story of a man in need of a sense of peace.

Director/writer James C. Strouse does a good job of laying down a lean, easy to watch tale. Star Jemaine Clement does what he does best: charming us with his dry humor and hilarious under-the-breath asides.

While the rest of the cast does a good job, I have to applaud Strouse for not giving Will the typical manic pixie dream girl to save him. Instead Will meets Diane, played by Regina Hall: a 45-year-old professional who has been raising her daughter alone for some time after a bad marriage and a series of dead-end relationships. She’s not willing to settle for whoever comes along; she just doesn’t want any bullshit. She’s about as far away from Kirsten Dunst’s character in Elizabethtown (another story of a man in need of a sense of peace) as you can get, while still being just as lovely and enjoyable to watch. Hall is the unsung hero of the film, though her screen time is fairly brief (the film’s only 85 minutes long in total). She’s a perfect foil for Clement and their scenes together are the highlight of People Places Things.

Stephanie Allynne’s Charlie, the ex, doesn’t fare as well. She’s the most unlikable and unwatchable character on the screen. She acts like a spoiled child stomping across Will’s life and using their daughters to manipulate and torture him (though the manipulation and torture are never very extreme). What fault lays with Will for her infidelity and the ending of their relationship is understated and only lightly explored; it almost makes Charlie’s reasons for leaving seem superficial. Which they are. Will confesses his failures to Diane but they don’t seem like grounds for divorce. They’re grounds for a conversation, maybe couple’s therapy.

The story of People Places Things is not an unrealistic one. I come from a broken family and grew up experiencing two divorces before I could even graduate high school. I’ve had ringside seats as to how petty grown ups can be and how they can carelessly use their children as pawns in a game not worth winning.

But neither Charlie nor Will are out for blood. They’re very modern about the whole thing. And while Charlie can become manic, Will always remains reasonable, even when he’s angry enough to storm off. The emotional neutrality of People Places Things makes the film a comfortable experience, but it also never challenges the viewer. Not that it needs to; it’s just something I noticed.

People Places Things feels more like a pilot for a TV series than a feature film. The characters are enjoyable and have interesting enough stories to bring back viewers on a weekly basis. And I would have rather watched Clement and Hall’s relationship blossom than see Clement and Allynne’s finally end.

All that aside, People Places Things is worth your time. It’s funny and the cast’s performances are strong. If not for Jemaine Clement I would have passed on the movie, but I’m glad I didn’t.

People Places Things is on iTunes and VOD today.