"Er...this isn't what it looks like."

Film: Cyrus

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

Brothers Jay and Mark Duplass have heretofore been leading filmmakers in the independent "mumblecore" movement. Though some of the mumblecore ideals are not present in their newest film, one thing they do retain is the low-budget aspect, and the camerawork here is very interesting. It seems to use a lot of zoomed-in shots from far-away vantage points, as if to give an objectivity to the film, to remind us that we don't have to be a part of the action, we can simply be outside observers. In spite of this, one of the movie's best achievements is that the tone of the film always marvelously reflects the emotions of the hero.

The subject of their new film is John (John C. Reilly), seven years divorced, alone, and still unadjusted to his life. John is confident, he knows he isn't a depressing or unpleasant guy, except when he's actually around women. He maintains a friendly relationship with his ex-wife Jamie (Catherine Keener), but is pushed further into lonesomeness when he learns that she is about to be remarried. Casting John C. Reilly was a great stroke of luck or of genius for the Duplasses. Reilly is a perfect fit; experienced in many genres including the offbeat comedy here, and one of the most likeable actors around. Hardly any effort is necessary to get us on his side, and even less to keep us there.

In a sincere attempt to help John, Jamie drags him along to a party, only to watch him get drunk on Red Bull and vodka and embarrass himself in front of all of the women there. One of them, however, sees the geniality and good-natured humor in him, and he ends up taking home the mercurial, alluring Molly (Marisa Tomei). As their relationship develops, John starts to think he's found someone special. Until he meets her charming but overly dependent son Cyrus (Jonah Hill). Cyrus is 21, still living with Molly, and as John learns, not willing to share her. His father long gone, his mother hasn't even had a real boyfriend since he was born. As Cyrus continues to meddle in their relationship, John has to figure out how to keep his romance with Molly intact.

There is a delicate pile of emotions here to deal with, and the Duplasses handle them sensibly. There are a number of precarious lines that could be crossed (namely, the incestuous one), but they avoid most of this dark material in favor of tenderness and compassion. But still some dark material. Both the humorous and the serious elements are treated with realism, but when necessary with a certain buoyancy that may not have been achieved with other actors. Jonah Hill plays Cyrus as kind and fragile, but with sinister undertones that creat the mildly unnerving yet amusing tension between him and John. Marisa Tomei is spectacular as the emotional Molly, who has been too tired and too single for too long but is dedicated to nurturing Cyrus. She might be a little naive, at least not able to see that her relationship with Cyrus is unusual and unhealthy, but she means only the best. She wants everyone to get along, even if she doesn't know how to make it happen.

Cyrus has a fairly broad premise, and at any moment could be taken in a wildly different direction. But the filmmakers keep a very watchable indie consistency, and create a realistic comedy-drama that, from the first moment, is about social and personal awkwardness. Without ever mocking its characters, it shows us that the situations we dread being in can be both funny and touching from an outside perspective.