When I saw a recent screening of “Cyrus,” I was a little surprised to see several people trickling out as the film went on. I couldn’t understand why these people would walk out of such a great movie, but then it dawned on me. These people were expecting what the movie’s marketing had led them to believe: a zany comedy cut from the same cloth as “Superbad” and “Step Brothers,”—“Cyrus” is a far cry from those films.
The movie is about a middle-aged man named John (John C. Reilly) who is trying to pull himself out of the proverbial gutter while also courting the beautiful Molly (Marisa Tomei). They begin a relationship and John finds out that Molly has a grown son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill), living at home. Cyrus feels threatened by John’s presence and starts to do whatever he can to sabotage the new relationship.
There is not one weak performance to be found in this film. Hill’s Cyrus is genuinely creepy and Reilly’s performance is much more subtle than his recent work. Tomei is great as the confused mother who just wants what’s best for both her son and her relationship.
The shaky, hand-held cinematography and natural acting let the viewer forget about the sticky floors of the theater and that one jackass sitting a few rows up that has been texting the entire time. The film doesn’t necessarily demand to be experienced in theaters but it is a perfect date movie.
The only real problem with “Cyrus” is how the film has been marketed. Both Riley and Hill have been in very successful raunchy, R-rated comedies, so it makes sense that Scott Free Productions, the studio behind the film, would market “Cyrus” as the same thing. What they don’t tell you is that the film is understated and sweet. “Cyrus” has heart, which is something that “Step Brothers” sorely lacked.
“Cyrus” was released June 18 and can be found playing at the Tower Theatre and Century Stadium 14 in Sacramento. For pricing information or further details call Tower Theatre at (916) 442-0985 or Century Stadium 14 at (916) 922-4241.
