"People Like Us" is a bit predictable at times but overall a satisfying drama with some grit to it. Sam (Chris Pine) is a corporate barterer in New York, who is good at his job but makes a deal that breaks Federal Trade Laws. Sam's boss tells him to bribe an FTC official in order to escape prosecution. When Sam gets home things get worse when his girlfriend Hannah (Olivia Wilde) breaks the news that Sam's estranged father Jerry has died of cancer in LA. Sam tries to avoid the funeral but ends up in LA visiting his mother Lillian (Michelle Pfeiffer), though their meeting is tense. Jerry's lawyer gives Sam something from Jerry - a shaving kit that contains $150,000 in cash with a note to deliver it to Josh Davis. The note gives an address and directs Sam to "take care of them." When Sam investigates the mysterious Josh he finds that Josh (Michael Hall D'Addario) is the troubled son of Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) and Frankie is apparently Jerry's illegitimate daughter. Sam is drawn to Frankie and Josh but at the same time he is tempted to keep the money for himself. Sam also is dealing with his estranged relationship with Jerry, while Frankie also deals with abandonment issues due to Jerry dropping out of her life when Lillian forced him to "choose" between his wife and son and this other family he had with Frankie and her mother.
I liked this movie more than I thought I would despite some predictible plot points. and uncomfortable moments. The cast is overall engaging, especially Elizabeth Banks. I felt that Banks really stole the movie with her portrayal of struggling single-mom and abandoned daughter Frankie. Michael Hall D'Addario does a good job as Frankie's troubled son, Josh. I felt that Chris Pine was a bit overshadowed by Banks' and D'Addario's performances and the small but powerful turn by Michelle Pfeiffer as Pines' character's mother. I liked that this drama had some grit and a real dilemma. Both Sam and Frankie had real issues stemming from their estranged relationship with their shared father. Sam also had the added issue that he was tempted to walk away from his father's wish and keep the money for himself. These issues made this movie a notch above some of the more average dramas - people in this film really have problems to work out and it's not easy watching them do it.
This is not perfect but it's got good acting and more teeth than a lot of dramas out there. Solid "B."
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