A Little Help (2010) User Reviews

Hated the main character

[artie412 · 6/10 · 15 February 2021]

It's a small indie movie. Filmed in Nassau County.

But I've never had less respect for a main character. Self-destructive and willfully stupid. She never met a bad decision she didn't embrace. I felt like reaching through the screen and strangling her. Jenna Fisher did magic in making me despise her.

Great TV dramedy shoehorned into an awkwardly framed movie

[binderhead126 · 6/10 · 15 October 2012]

I personally would give this movie 6.5/10 if possible; it isn't particularly good, but as other reviewers have commented, I appreciated the rawly exposed main character Laura (Jenna Fischer). I don't think the characters make believable individual families, but together the chemistry of the actors remind me of 'The Royal Tenenbaums', which I felt was as overrated as this movie is underrated.

The plot of the movie is contrived, but if one looks at the writer/director (Michael J Weithorn), it makes perfect sense that the characters are very unique, but there is simply not enough time to develop them fully. The setting (Long Island, 2002) lends this movie some interesting flavor and some of the scenes where I laughed out loud were because they were ironic/sarcastic and generally dry, which I feel accurately depicts the vanilla suburbia that surrounds the concrete jungle of NYC. There is a theme of class warfare that I found interesting even if it did not develop into a great ending.

For people who haven't seen it but might try it on Netflix, etc., it can best be explained like this: the first 25 minutes introduce many characters and would make an interesting TV pilot, and the rest of the movie tries to awkwardly make the people pieces fit together into a situation that would be better delivered as several half-hour episodes/seasons on basic cable. The ending is not particularly gratifying, but the reflections on life and the character development make it a sentimentally rewarding movie. Go into it with low expectations, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Watch it a second time, and you will be rewarded with its subtlety.

An average movie with problems not solved till the end

[starbiue_82 · 5/10 · 13 February 2013]

first of all, not much comic as stated in the genre Movie is about a married lady life in turmoil after she suspects her husband on cheating her. Being unloved and insecure she is turning alcholic resulting in child and house ignorance ( as u can see unwashed dishes and clothes spread all around in the background).

Her husband dies of heart problem. Laura tries to overcome her alcoholic tendencies and admit her son (Denis) to a private school out side the city on her imposing mother and sister demand. Alone & ignored, eager to have new friends, Dennis lies to his teachers and classmates that his father was a hero of 9/11. Laura reluctantly promises not to reveal the truth about his father death to friends.

on the other hand, Laura was forced to file a case against the doctor who failed to diagnose her husband condition and claim insurance money for her family benefit. Attorney part has been played diligently.

Inshort, there are some scenes in the movie which portray real life experiences but some points remain unanswered till the end like mother son relation and devotion in real sense

Jenna Fischer is fantastic in a very stupid movie

[jm10701 · 21 May 2013]

The only thing good about this movie is Jenna Fischer, and she's very, very good. Otherwise, the acting is mediocre at best and the story, dialog and direction are pretty bad. Only Fischer's perfect performance in a ridiculous movie makes it worth watching.

It IS a comedy, by the way, despite what some online reviewers have said. It just doesn't work as a comedy, or as a drama, or as anything else... except as a vehicle for Fischer's unique gift for playing likable, thoroughly and consistently entertaining losers, who also are totally believable human beings - not by any means an easy feat. She's almost a female Woody Allen, except she's not an obnoxious, whining, passive-aggressive, self-aggrandizing pervert.

Semi-quirky dramedy with Jenna Fischer

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 25 May 2015]

Released in 2010, "A Little Help" stars Jenna Fischer as a nearing-middle-age mother from Long Island whose marriage is troubled and her family overbearing. She turns to smoking, drinking and worse to cope and fill the void. Chris O'Donnell plays her husband (in a small role), Ron Leibman & Lesley Ann Warren play her father and mother, Brooke Smith & Rob Benedict her sister and brother-in-law, and Daniel Yelsky her son.

Some people complain that this movie is depressing because it deals with heavy issues, like adultery, premature death, lawsuits, alcoholism, rebellious children and the like. While this is true, the tone is too quirky and light to regard with dismal seriousness. Some complain that the son is a little too disrespectful and it's infuriating. This is also true, but it's intrinsic to the plot. The film's all about Jenna's character escaping the manipulations of those who take advantage of her and try to control her. Jim Florentine from That Metal Show appears in an amusing sequence that reveals the emptiness of casual sex. The movie's not great, but it's good enough and, despite the amusing aspects, it smacks of real life, not to mention the subtexts are great and Jenna's a cutie.

The film runs 109 minutes and was shot on Long Island, NY.

GRADE: B

Not a comedy but so much more

[vovers1 · 7/10 · 26 April 2021]

There is not a lot funny about A Little Help, there does not need to be. This is a great little drama about loss and life, well acted, well cast, well written. A lot about truth and lies. Low key and real.

Highly recommended.

Revised opinion; re-release it after editing it so Fischer gets more close ups and the dialog moves faster.

[skantea · 4/10 · 2 February 2012]

I like Jenna Fischer. Everybody likes Jenna Fischer. That said, she's like Rashida Jones, great in an ensemble, but nowhere near enough gravitas to pull off the lead. It's a question of intensity. Even in a light weight movie, the lead has to have some sort of inner tension that can be seen and heard. Fischer is just too easy to look past. You can't bring yourself to worry if she's going to be okay, because you know she will be. She radiates that innocent girlishness that makes men instinctively protective. In fact I'd wager that she's one of those women who hasn't gone more than a month without a steady boyfriend since high school, because 'good guys' won't leave her alone. Also, the directing was beyond lazy. I doubt he told anybody what do ever, including the editor. Frankly, I know a pretty talented guy who could recut this and make it a much better film. Honestly, that may be all it needs. Revised opinion, re-release it after cutting it so Fisher gets more close ups and the dialog moves faster. 6 out of 10

Revised, revised Opinion: Wrote review while watching movie (was in about 1:26). Now that it's over my advice is to avoid. Unless you're a hardcore Fischer fan, it's not worth the time investment. Everything that's set up basically just hangs there. The characters don't get smarter (except learning not to tell gigantic lies you can't support). In fact, the writing pretty much loses all direction and just becomes forgettable nonsense with no resolution, point or lesson. 4 out of 10

Very enjoyable and real

[kamoconnor · 7/10 · 30 September 2014]

An enjoyable, down to earth movie about real family relationships and what people do to love and protect their loved ones. It is great to see the filmmaker had the courage to make a movie about real life relationships in all their complexity. This isn't the best movie you will see all year but it will make you think and reflect on your own life and family dynamics. I hope people don't see the score of 5.7 out of ten and discount this little gem. The acting is very good especially the scenes between the main character and her son. The story flows along nicely and the music score is terrific. To top it all off there is even a nice character arc at the end. This movie may not be everyone's cup of tea but it in no way deserves some of the bad reviews on this site.

Awful movie

[marquesmunoz · 1/10 · 28 May 2019]

Boy was this movie bad. She struggled to keep her clothes on, during those sex scenes. Why should she even be filming those sex when she is struggling like hell, for clothes not to come off. I was hoping they would though, it would have been nice.

Root Canals are less Painful

[docm-32304 · 2/10 · 27 January 2021]

I have no problem with saying that the 10/10 reviews are nonsense. This piece of garbage is nothing more than a lengthy look at one person's terrible life...period. How is that entertainment? How is that worth watching when all of us have elements of that in our life. This is not art, not an important film, nor funny. Give your heads a shake people...this is just a waste of film and there's no ending, just a stop, and for that I thank them.

Mundane, Monotonous Redemption

[sam-becherer · 8/10 · 1 November 2011]

I normally don't like to call out other reviewers on their views, but I feel like the review that's posted on the page doesn't do this film justice at all. Sure, Jenna Fischer plays a very annoying character, and sure, her son is annoying as all get out, but to claim that either doesn't grow is a little rough.

I think the movie does a great job at exemplifying the tribulations of real life, and it's exactly the point of the film not to have a huge ending where everyone involved has an epiphany and changes all of his or her ways. Everyone has a ton of problems, but the fact that they aren't shown climbing triumphantly out from them is exactly how real life is, how many of you can just walk away from a rough marriage, or problems with a child, or the suspicion of an affair? These aren't things one can simply "Get over" within the span of days, or maybe even ever, and this movie shows that in a way that is quietly elegant. The viewer is left with the statement that things are going to be better, and the viewer has to trust that they will be, as opposed to being shown that they are.

It's a quirky sad film, one that doesn't really make the viewer feel all that great, but it certainly leaves enough room for a quiet warmth; a slow hope that stays with the viewer after the movie ends. It's a great film, an annoying and frustrating and awkward film, but a great film nevertheless. The viewer sees human beings interacting with each other, and very human reactions. It's nothing that's going remain with you for days, but it will make you smile.

A different perspective than those who love it

[Cande_roberts · 3/10 · 22 June 2019]

Laura andBob have a failing marriage. He cheats and she smokes and drinks beer-a lot! Their son has problems with both. His Dad spends little time with him and his Mother isn't interested. Laura's Mom and sister are both pushy and bossy. Her Dad is a wimp except when bragging about his career, the thing he most cares about in life. Bob dies and Laura continues on her beer addled life continuously making bad decisions. I didn't see bonding between Mother and son except for a short scene at the end. She almost (selfishly, as always) sleeps with her brother-in-law. The only positive in the movie was Laura coming to her senses and forgoing an affair. I found it to be a depressing movie with no direction, no lessons learned at the end. I watched the movie because I like Jenna Fischer. Pushing toward the positive could have made this more interesting.

Disappointed

[tayla-2 · 26 November 2011]

I watched this movie after first coming across it on IMDb and reading stellar reviews describing it as a "dramedy". Unfortunately, I found the beginning slow and drawn out to the point of boredom. I had a difficult time caring about any of the characters or what would happen to them. I actually fell asleep and had to rewind in my quest to find the point where it would improve. I did not find this movie interesting or funny and some scenes were actually distasteful. I thought the characters annoying and unlikeable. Some reviewers commented that this movie was great because it was true to life; not every situation ends up tied up in pretty bows and perfect endings, etc. Sure, that's true. BUT, that does not mean I should be satisfied watching characters without redeeming qualities who do not develop in a movie with a flat ending. If I'm going to invest 108 minutes in a movie my lowest expectation is to care about what happens to the characters. It's interesting to read such different reviews about the same movie. In this case, since some people loved it I would suggest watching it yourself if the storyline interests you and then post a review here.

A slice of ad nauseam dysfunctional life

[stevepat99 · 3/10 · 6 June 2020]

From frame one we have a huge slice of most every dysfunctional family attribute spread across an extended number of family members. The problem here is that Woody Allen did not write the screenplay. Instead of 'The Heart Wants What It Wants' we are assaulted with an relentless array of never ending and never changing dysfunctional angst.

The main character is Laura, cute as a button Jenna Fischer who is in a lack luster marriage. We have no clear idea why she has arrived at the low point, drinking smoking and suspicious of her husband's late night work hours. Outwardly they could be all stars at any high school reunion. There is her young son, mother, father and sister who are all out to lunch. The support for one another could fit in a thimble.

The attorney is not, as some say, a paragon of dishonesty. He strongly advises regarding a very legit malpractice case and gives Laura sound advice given the value of her case.

This slice of dysfunctional life does not end with fireworks all tied up with a fancy life affirming ribbon. One can only hope there are better days ahead for all. Others may find the film's end suitable. For my part I could help but count dysfunctional sheep jumping over a fence throughout the film.

This movie could have used a little help

[Kamurai25 · 3/10 · 13 April 2020]

Garbage watch, not watching again, and can't recommend.

That said, there is an audience for this, and a lesson buried in the ending, but it honestly just feels like it's not finished.

I generally like Jenna Fischer, I generally like it when a story plays with traditional story arcs, but this isn't a full story: it's just a sequence of events that happened in a character's life. That may sound similar to a plot, but there is a key difference that stories have a structure and value to it.

I'm glad someone got to make this, it was probably helpful, and I'm sure it helped someone else to see the chaos of their life represented on screen.

But most people should just skip this.

A Little Help Burning The Master Negative, Please

[Cinnyaste · 1/10 · 23 April 2012]

Ms. Fischer is, in an extremely limited way, talented. Her deadpan served "The Office" well. However, in a dramedy requiring acting chops, such as "A Little Help," she falls flat on her cutish face.

Striving for slice-of-life befouled in in a web of lies, Ms. Fischer's flat affect singular expression spoils the fun. She's a TV actress, period. (See also "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" for that same expressionless facade.) It's not so much Ms. Fischer phones in her performance, she doesn't even have a phone. Drunk? Same as sober. Angry? Same as calm except something is thrown. Someone should really tell her as she seems clueless (as to why more film roles aren't offered).

That said (and it's plenty when the lead can't pull off a simple role - this isn't Shakespeare), the rest of the cast looks embarrassed and bored. And why not. They're mostly hacks (Leibman and O'Donnell??) who never really had great careers. They were bought on the cheap for this poorly written Indie flop. Kim Coates buoys the proceedings and stands out, but it ain't sayin' much when you're surrounded by talentless actors.

"A Little Help" is unwatchable. Save your time and instead watch paint drying. The entertainment value is identical.

Jenna Fischer Shines in Ensemble Cast

[brettster · 8/10 · 26 June 2011]

This indie dramedy casts cutie-pie Jenna Fischer (of TV's "The Office") as Laura, a woman suffering from a variety of problems—dead-end marriage, unappreciative son, bitchy sister, condescending mom—that no amount of beer and cigarettes can make go away. Then things take a turn for the worse. The movie is about how lies infect the soul—how they grow, like a cancer, and end up spoiling life. There are impressive turns by Ron Liebman and Lesley Ann Warren as Laura's parents, and Kim Coates as a calculating attorney—the embodiment of Satanic dishonesty, he might as well have been carrying a trident. "A Little Help" may not wind up in a lot of the year's Top 10 lists, but I found myself caring about the characters, warts and all. (For once, Fischer is photographed in a way that is not particularly attractive). A winning effort by first-time feature writer/director Michael J. Weithorn.

Life sucks...then gets worse

[biffpsych · 3/10 · 22 May 2020]

The cast is good, the acting was good, but...

The movie: unhappy marriage, unhealthy coping habits, neglected kid caught in the middle; believable American story, no surprises there. The trailer leads you to believe this is a light-hearted, or maybe not so light-hearted comedy, but at least an enjoyable movie that would have, if not a happy ending, at least an ending that implies things are going to be okay. No. A tragic situation is compounded by not just bad decisions, but stupid bad decisions. There's a moral component of Jenna Fischer's character not wanting to take money from a lawsuit she feels would be based on a lie coupled with a dishonorable lie of epic proportions, dope smoking, sex with a loser, and an affair that would have devastating potential. The story goes nowhere. There's no growth, no maturation, no point to story. The credits rolled and their lives were still miserable with little indication they would get better.

And on the dope smoking note; wherever you stand on the issue, depicting a 9th grade student smoking weed is crossing a line.

Jenna Fischer: maybe a roll she took to shake the clean "Office" image? It didn't work. I still saw Pam and every other character was a Michael Scott scenario at some point in the series. She played the part well, it just seemed to be an extreme step of expanding her range.

For those who can see deep meaning and artistic expression you may love this movie. Other reviewers obviously saw something in it I didn't. It could have gone somewhere, ANYWHERE, but it just fell flat.

An Average Drama Movie

[usman_ali442 · 14 November 2011]

I don't know exactly how to put this into words but what appeared to be a nice drama movie in the beginning turned out to be an average boring movie till the end. Overall the movie presented a psychic storyline with a disturbed girl finding her way out of her husbands death. Coming to the acting, one can say that most of the characters did justice to what they were put through. I am a kind of person who usually don't miss a single scene of movies, even I also had to skip a few parts at the end. Direction was not very good because the movie actually fail to leave some mark in your mind and it is a kind of movie that you won't even remember its name after a week or so.

Hmmm

[kite005 · 5/10 · 16 May 2020]

Liked it pretty much. I hit to the part where she is smoking weed with her sisters husband. That part was weird enough I almost turned it off.

Another dysfunctional family get together move

[xhidden99 · 3/10 · 3 September 2021]

Number 347. Another big angry messed up uppermiddle class white family that gets together solely for the purpose of screaming at each other movie. It's great background noise.

Great little movie

[erpmeis · 9/10 · 21 May 2010]

Saw this tonight at the Seattle International Film Festival. I was not expecting such a good movie. The writing and performances had the full house laughing throughout. This is definitely a "dramedy" though. A lot of touching moments between Jenna Fischer's character and Daniel Yelsky, as well as Jenna and Rob Benedict. I expect this film to do quite well once it picks up a distributor. If I had to compare it to other films, James L. Brooks better films came to mind, as well as PT Anderson -- mostly because of the superb casting and writing. I wouldn't change a thing about this movie. I almost forgot to mention the new songs by Jakob Dylan that fit the movie so well. I'm still going to see another 15 or so movies at SIFF, but I fear I have already seen the best film that will screen at the festival.

A Little Help was a very real and ultimately uplifting surprise

[Valerio95 · 8/10 · 9 March 2011]

My wife and I very much enjoyed this unpretentious film at the San Jose Cinequest Film Festival. It certainly blends comedy and drama very well, and the story line flows very smoothly. Well-delivered humor kept the audience laughing evenly throughout the story, which complimented the more somber and poignant moments. The actors, many of whom are recognizable from television and the big screen all added to the believability of the story. While I sat there and thought "I am glad this is not my family's story," I, nevertheless, could relate and was drawn to the characters and their trials. There was a certain sweetness about this story that made Laura's (Jenna Fischer) life ultimately redeeming, and ultimately a pleasant surprise to this reviewer.

A young mother experiences problems with her marriage and family in this drama about a dysfunctional family.

[katiesever-880-347450 · 8/10 · 25 October 2010]

This was a great film! I saw this at the San Diego Film Festival a couple of weeks ago and it was a happy little surprise. Jenna Fischer did an amazing job, as a matter of fact, EVERY actor in this film was tremendous. The film was very believable, it focused on a young mother who's marriage is falling apart. She is slowly drifting into a hopeless state; being unloved and slightly alcoholic in return. Then her life changes when events unfold. We watch her handle all these problems at once and still we see her emerge as a better person in the end. The film is not as much of a downer as it sounds, and there is plenty humor in it. The best thing about this film is the reality of it, it's very easy to relate to. The relationships are believable as well as the situations and dialog. I enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it. This film and Nowhere Boy were my two favorite films from the festival.

A wonderful movie about a mother & son bonding after the death of the father. An absolute must see movie. Very good. I say A

[cosmo_tiger · 23 October 2011]

"What's a cooler way to die, 9/11 or a arrhythmia thing?" Laura (Fischer) and Bob (O'Donnell) have a strained marriage. Bob works all the time and Laura drinks a lot. Their 12 year old son is stuck in the middle but prefers the dad. After an argument leads to Bob's death, Laura is left to figure out how to raise her son and support her family. This is a movie that is very different from the preview. The preview makes it look like a comedy, while there are some funny parts this is more of a drama. That said this is one fantastic movie. Watching each character deal with the situation is great to watch. There are parts that you laugh at that you feel like you shouldn't. This is also one of the best mother-son bonding movies I have ever seen, and there are scenes with her family that will make you mad. The fact that you have these feeling marks the sign of a good movie. This is one of the biggest surprise movies of the year. You expect one thing, it's another, but an absolutely fantastic movie to watch. Overall, an extremely entertaining and enjoyable movie to watch that won't disappoint. I give it an A.