Talkin Pets

Based on true events this film delves deep into the lives of a young man that is asked from his deceased father to deliver $150,000 to the sister he never knew he had.  Sam (Chris Pine) lives in New York with his girlfriend Hannah (Olivia Wilde) and things with his career are not quite going so well especially when his boss (Jon Favreau) threatens his job if he doesn’t fulfill a list of demands in the next few days.  When he arrives home that day Hannah delivers the news that his father just died.  Faced with a flight to Los Angeles to attend his father’s funeral he leaves behind his work responsibilities which could end him up in trouble with the FTC.  After missing the funeral, Sam and Hannah arrive at his parent’s home where he greets and introduces Hannah to his mother Lillian (Michelle Pfeiffer). 
His mother was glad he made it home even though life for Sam growing up in that house was never comforting between him and his dad.  It wasn’t until his father’s attorney (Philip Baker Hall) shows up with a shaving kit that belonged to his father that made Sam think he cared.  Why because there was $150,000 rolled up inside but it came with a note.  A note that asked him to deliver the money to Josh Davis (Michael Hall D’Addario), a young 11 year old boy who lived with his single mother Frankie (Elizabeth Banks).  Sam automatically assumed the woman was a mistress to his father but later finds out she is his sister and Josh is his nephew.  Josh is not quite the ideal son, nor student, always getting in trouble for one thing or another.
Sam finds a way to entangle his life into Frankie’s by first introducing himself in a ‘stranger danger’ kind of way to Josh.  Also meeting and befriending Frankie so much to the point that she begins to feel an emotional yet sexual attraction to him.  Of course, not knowing they are related but Sam does as he struggles for the right time to tell her the truth.  When the time comes it is well overdue and surely doesn’t go so well.  Frankie has confided in Sam her deepest thoughts about her father which unknowingly to her was his father as well.  After a young age he stopped showing up to see her which led her to believe in the end that there was something wrong with her. 
When Sam decides to stay longer in California he is later faced with the truth from his mother about the choices that were made for the sake of Sam.  The truth hurts sometimes and the words “I’m sorry” don’t always ring true to the ears of the person meant to hear them.  Forgiveness is always the biggest step on the road to recovery even if the one to forgive is not there in body any longer.  Her father never came back but Sam did, truthfully though he was always there from the start. 
Nicely directed and written with a bit of a lull in the middle this film is sure to make your laugh, smile, tear up and overall realize that all families have their secrets and none of them are perfect by far.  Accompanied by a nice score that surrounds itself around old time favorites due to the fact that Jerry Harper, the deceased father, in his younger days was a record producer but sadly died at the age of 63.  Beautifully acted the film will fare well with the audience that can appreciate its worth, sadly though that will most likely not be a mass audience.
Pine does a remarkable job as he struggles with many different emotions on the job, home, parents, and the new addition to the family he never knew he had.  Wilde doesn’t have a lot of screen time but looks good when she does.  Banks is ideal as the single mom struggling to raise a problem child, D’Addario who by the way is quite the actor himself.  Pfeiffer who I did not like in “Dark Shadows” is far from in the dark here but rather shines bright with an eye on the prize.  Definitely a well-balanced supporting cast this film has a wonderful story line albeit a bit over-done at times yet still quite entertaining.  Written with 2 paws out of four, I’m Jon Patch.