There's a reason why today's television writers typically stay with television. They fully understand the art of long-form storytelling, which gives you ample time to develop characters before setting the story in motion. For example, in pilots, writers get to introduce characters, drop a few subtle hints about plots and define personalities.
Matthew Weiner has excelled at that, especially on Mad Men. But creating characters is one thing. In movies, you have to put these characters to good use in a moving story, since you only have so much time to play with. There has to be a balance between character development and story.
Are You Here, Weiner's first feature since 1996, shows that he is good at creating characters, but he's terrible at giving them something to do. He also couldn't decide if he wanted to make a comedy or a drama, so he cast comedy actors in a dramatic story and it doesn't work.
The plot centers on childhood buddies Ben (Zach Galifianakis) and Steve (Owen Wilson), who learn that Ben's father has just died. So, they head out to Amish country in Pennsylvania, where Ben's family still lives, to attend the funeral and find out what his father left Ben in the will. Much to his sister Terry's (Amy Poehler) chagrin, Ben was left with the family store and the farm, worth well over $2 million. Ben is a living teddy bear, just like every character Galifianakis plays, and mentally unstable, so the constantly-uptight Terry tries to take the money.
Sadly though, Weiner is so interested in flawed characters that everyone in this movie is flawed. We're never really sure if Weiner's focus is seeing Ben get his life together or seeing Steve get his life together. Yes, we can't even count on Steve to be a stable force in Ben's life, because his own is screwed up. He's a man-child, who sleeps with every woman he can find and smokes pot every day. He is also so self-centered that he thinks Ben is going to give the farm to him.
There is one strong character in Are You Here, Ben and Terry's stepmom, the impossibly young Angela (Laura Ramsey), who was married to their dad for five years before he died. She's going to help both Steve and Ben figure out their lives, if they want to listen to her.
Weiner is good at coming up with intriguing characters, but he is obviously uninterested in plot. Indeed, he enjoys the melancholy versions of Steve and Ben he introduced us to at the beginning so much that he can't bear to let them change. For a good 90 minutes or so, the story seems stagnant as we see two people yell back and forth about how they don't know anything about each other. Weiner may enjoy hanging out with these guys, but you have to move the story along at some point, because the audience sure isn't enjoying it.
I truly have to wonder how different Are You Here (can you have a more bland title?) would have turned out if Weiner went “full drama” and got some dramatic actors in this movie. It's nice to see a group of actors try new things, but the comedy is so far and few between that it makes you wish for dramatic stars.
It's also disappointing that there's no visual flair to this film. Are You Here looks like a movie made on the cheap, as if Weiner had no distinct style to bring to the movie.
Are You Here comes out on Blu-ray this Tuesday from Millennium Films. Since there's been little talk of the movie since its debut at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival, a physical release seems almost pointless, especially since the only bonus feature on the disc is a commentary from Weiner, costume designer Christopher Gay and cinematographer Christopher Manley.
Are You Here is a movie you just want to work. Poehler and Wilson are so good in other projects. Weiner's Mad Men is still among the best shows on TV heading into its final season. But Are You Here reveals Weiner as a television artist, not quite ready for feature films. Perhaps he'll get it right next time.