Review 157: People Like Us

People Like Us is an earnest, poignet and wonderfully inspirational drama that succeeds on the performances of its cast and solid directorial debut for writer Alex Kurtzman.

Sam Harper (Chris Pine) is a struggling corporate trader whose latest deal collapses on the same that he learns his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home to L.A. to put his father's estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. While there, he uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside down - he has a 30-year old sister Frankie Davis (Elizabeth Banks) he never knew existed.

The plot is beautifully written and tastefully told.

Alex Kurtzman's (in his directorial debut) direction is  the cinematography is beautiful and captures the beauty of L.A. The score by A. R. Rahman is excellently riveting, the scenery is breathtaking, the production is
The way L.A. is portrayed in this film is not the glossy, glamorised place that we as an audience are so used to seeing in Hollywood films, it feels like a

Coming off of his big break taking command of the starship Enterprise, Chris Pine delivers a playing Sam Harper
Over the course of the film, Sam finds it very hard to reconnect with Frankie and to tell her that they're related because he was estranged from his father and the reveal

Elizabeth Banks

Olivia Wilde

Michael Hall D'Addario makes for a real find playing Frankie's son Josh. He is one problem child. This kid is always up to mischief, always getting into trouble, always up to no good. He and Frankie clearly love each other but his pranks causes a lot of strain on their relationship, but when Sam comes into their lives he starts to mallow

Michelle Pfeiffer proves once again she's one of the finest actors working today playing Lillian, Sam's mother.

Jon Favreau and Philip Baker Hall round out the films small cast in smaller but important

People Like Us is a sweet and heartwarming film, 4/5.

The Anonymous Critic.