Smart People (2008): Dir: Noam Murro / Cast: Dennis Quaid, Thomas Hayden Church, Ellen Page, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ashton Holmes: Comic drama about choices. It stars Dennis Quaid as a professor who is widowed and has two children. When his car is impounded he is left to trust his unreliable adopted brother who just arrived in town due to financial difficulties. Director Noam Murro does a fantastic job at detailing these relationships. Quaid is seen as withdrawn and remembering none of his students. Finally he finds romance and opportunity with a nurse as well as a new beginning. Thomas Haden Church plays his adopted brother who lacks ambition yet establishes a relationship with his niece that opens a new view on life. Sarah Jessica Parker plays a nurse whom was a former student of Quaid's. She is not there as a romantic prop but rather she opens his eyes to his flaws. Ellen Page plays his daughter deep in her studies yet her annoyance at Hayden Church branches into an evening of substance abuse placing him in a position of responsibility. Ashton Holmes plays Quaid's son who ends up bonding of sorts with Church when he Church needs a place to crash. Great cast and a screenplay that is well written and realistic in a way that is more natural than predictable. The film demonstrates our imperfections with the hopes of new beginnings. Score: 10 / 10

So basically, they just told Ellen Page & Sarah Jessica Parker to be themselves and for Dennis Quaid to go watch a few episodes of House (if he hadn't already) and be Hugh Laurie's character for Smart People. If it hadn't been for Uncle Chuck, played by Thomas Haden Church, this movie would have pretty much totally sucked for me. But then, i'm a Cheech & Chong fan and always loved Reverend Jim on Taxi too, so forget about it. I also think Ashton Holmes did well in this and deserved more recognition than he got. I will also say that Smart People has some pleasant scenery and a sweet score, always a plus.... and it does have a decent ending. The fact that some obviously dysfunctional stuff going on in the character's lives gets at all addressed makes it bearable to watch. Worth seeing one time, but not what i'd call a keeper.

(Plot) A widowed professor falls in love (Sarah Jessica Parker) but his daughter (Ellen Paige) is very disobedient and beats to her own drum. He also has to deal with an unwarranted visit from his annoying brother (Thomas Haden Church) I don't remember much about this movie, but I do remember that it was a decent film, and refreshingly unorthodox. It has a quirky style to it, and I got into it for the most part. It also helps that it has an A + cast. Ellen Paige is one of my favorite up and coming actresses and her snarky performance delighted me. I dug her obsession with fancy words. It also had a great contrast in personality with Paige & Jessica Parker. Parker is a rather subdued personality compared to her, and the way they clashed gave me some chuckles. Dennis Quaid is a tad unsympathetic, but fantastic nonetheless. You'll like him, because you won't be able to help it. Haden Church is a hoot in his roleFinal Thoughts: I kinda liked it. Its quirky style may not appeal to others, but those tired of the same Hollywood drivel will find stuff to like about it. Worth a watch6/10

People are complicated. Sometimes there's people who are funny, people who are boring, people who are popular and people who don't. And there's smart people and there's dumb people (whatever that means). And then there's a movie called "Smart People", a movie about complicated persons trying to make things easy (or not). A simple conversation can be too difficult even to a Literature teacher (played by Dennis Quaid) whose arrogance, egocentricity and lack of attention make him forget the name of his students, ignore the fact that his son (Ashton Holmes) buys expensive books and that his daughter (Ellen Page) is trying to enter into a college. And worst: he's a widower man that after an accident falls in love for her medical doctor (Sarah Jessica Parker). And even more worst: while recovering from this accident his adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church) starts to live in his house. If you are only reading the names of the actors here you might want to see this film right now but I tell you: If you think you're going to like it or it's a good movie think again. To call "Smart People" of a boring movie is to diminish its potential. I say that this movie hasn't anything new to show besides of being a compilation of several different movies together that didn't make a good one. All the characters are egoistic, intelligent but with no regards about other people's interest. To them everything is motive of laugh. Too much sarcasm and too much black humor didn't worked at all. Ellen Page is becoming type-casted as sarcastic characters who delivers awkward punchlines after other just like in "Juno" (excellent film by the way). It was annoying. Dennis Quaid's character was too overacted in his manners and in his intelligence. After all it's all boring persons making other people's life more boring but I'll say more. In life, intelligent (or smart if you prefer) are always put aside from other people. Many times they don't have enough skills to talk, skills to be popular, skills to say simple things rightly, and they're too shy to say something or when they say it sounds incomprehensible to some people. Okay, we've seen "The Revenge of the Nerds" and we know that's exactly how it works. But "Smart People" reduced its public by stating that smart people are ignorant and they must be ignored and they don't know how to have a good time, always putting themselves behind books and something similar, not to mention use sarcasm as a weapon. Wrong. There are cases and there are cases. What about people who has Asperger's Syndrome? What about people with social phobia? What about shy people? All these examples are ruthless, cold hearted and sarcastic? It was a too critical movie with no funny moments at all (perhaps one or two scenes). It also has a speech about change what you are. The uncle in the film always try to involve his niece into something new like smoke pot or go to a bar, because he thinks she's always studying to go to college and doesn't have too much time for fun. Or Dennis's character being repelled by Sarah Jessica in their first date because he only talks about himself and his career. Wait a minute. If you love someone you want to change this person? Can't you respect that person for what she or he is? Once again it judged some people too much and you might get depressed or annoyed with that. Screenplay: Bad. It didn't create any interesting situation whatsoever. Acting: Nothing spectacular or inspiring to see. Direction: Misguided and lost at some times. Movie: 4 stars because I've seen worst movies and this is just pointless and has some level of knowledge.