Movie Review ~ The Problem with People

It’s one of the most recognizable setups imaginable. An outsider arrives in unfamiliar territory and is expected to adapt to a new way of living while attempting to introduce part of their world to their surroundings. It can serve as the basis for any number of genres, too. Apply it to a horror film, and you have a woman moving into a high-rise apartment building being terrorized by the devil-worshipping residents (Rosemary’s Baby); etch out a drama, and you have a company man set overseas to buy a small village but falling for the townspeople (Local Hero); or make it a wry comedy with a hotshot doctor forced to stay in a backwoods town after running afoul of a cranky judge (Doc Hollywood).

In a similar vein, The Problem with People, directed by Chris Cottam and written by star Paul Reiser and Wally Marzano-Lesnevich, takes us on a quirky journey across the Atlantic to Ireland, where familial ties, cultural clashes, and generations-long feuds converge in a comedy that’s efficiently paced and built with a sturdy hand. Sure, it sometimes feels overly familiar and stubbornly hesitant to step out of its formulaic confines. Still, its two stars, likable supporting players, and gorgeous scenery make up for anything the premise lacks.

Amidst a longstanding feud straddling continents – part in America, the other in their Irish homeland — Ciáran’s father, on his deathbed, asks his son to help him reconcile with his long-lost nephew, Barry (Reiser, Concussion). Barry seizes the opportunity for an Emerald Isle adventure in need of a break from the relentless grind of NYC real estate and yearning to connect with his Irish roots. As he explores the quaint town and gets to know cousin Ciáran (Colm Meaney, Tolkien) better, fate deals a cruel blow; his uncle passes away shortly after their meeting.

However, there’s another unexpected twist that emerges during the reading of the will. Ciáran is stunned to discover that Barry has inherited half of the family land, igniting newfound resentment in the cousins. With tensions mounting, old wounds come to the surface, stoked by the perceived injustice of Barry’s windfall. With their father’s unresolved grievances still hanging over them like a dark cloud, the cousins soon find themselves in a similar struggle of one-upmanship. Resorting to dirty tricks of deceit and bitter confrontations, can they find common ground that hasn’t been scorched by the flames of the feud they’ve fanned?

Reiser’s been in the public eye as a reliable comedian for decades, starring in the popular sitcom Mad About You for nine years and recently enjoying a resurgence on serialized TV in streaming hits The Kominsky Method and Stranger Things. In The Problem with People, he’s written himself a role that isn’t too far out of his comfort zone (can anyone play a nervous fish-out-of-water via Manhattan better?), and if you are a fan of the actor, you’ll find a lot to enjoy in the performance. It would be nice to see him expand his horizons, but when you’re working opposite a pro like Meaney, it’s best to let an expressive actor like him take the bulk of the heavier material. Meaney is an excellent counterpoint to Reiser, adding depth to the cultural conflict integral to the film’s thesis statement.

The colorful characters in the town play like stock outlines you’d expect in a picturesque Irish village, but Lucianne McEvoy gives a spirited performance as Fiona. Catching Barry’s attention early on, there’s more to her than meets the eye, and I liked the way Reiser and Marzano-Lesnevich kept her believably involved with the goings-on without shoehorning her into the proceedings. Handling most of her work on the phone playing Barry’s daughter, Jane Levy (Evil Dead) acts as a sounding board for her dad and is an easy-out way for the script to work through a few wrinkles. It’s a little too slick, but Levy always brings such a light that you can’t help but be grateful she’s included.

While The Problem with People often ventures into commonplace (read: safe) territory, evoking the spirit of classic comedies where outsiders navigate foreign locales, it occasionally falls prey to formulaic beats. Sweet and slight in its execution, it has a genuine heart but lacks a certain boldness to elevate it to a comedy with higher stakes, which would have made it a title you could easily return to. Ultimately, it is a harmless watch that could have been more if it tried but starts to droop when it attempts anything grander than its basic setup.