CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH - Uh Meh

The likable but forgettable film CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH has its tender moments nevertheless it manages to slips under the radar.   Andrew (Cooper Raiff) is a millennial in denial of future plans past the partying stages of college days.   After graduating Andrew returns home to his mother (an iridescent Leslie Mann) and step father's (Brad Garrett) home without having secured a job.  His 13 year old bro David (Evan Assante) is on the precipice of puberty while Bar Mitzvah parties are getting into high swing.  The parallels between dawning manhood between preteen and post grad are prevalent. The problem being David's maturation is nascent and Andrew's absent.   The movie moves beyond your flailing 20 something searching for direction, albeit not arduously, when familial bonds are scrutinized.  Andrew agrees to take David to a Bar Mitzvah party where he empathizes with awkward adolescence keeping timid teens from the dance floor.  With nothing to lose Andrew gets the party started to great success and a burgeoning career as a party starter is born.  At the party Andrew meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) whose there with her 16 year old daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt in a brilliant performance.)  Lola has autism and was held back in school 3 years and in the same class as David.  Lola's socialization with her peers has its unique challenges apart from those of her younger classmates.  Andrew's confidence or perhaps lack of, flourish under attention and adoration.  He ingratiates himself into Lola and Domino's lives as he's  attracted to Domino.  Andrew is fond of giving advice to his younger brother eager to gain his attention and wisdom.   Andrew's self-importance turns to arrogance and he presumes to advise Domino on what she wants from life.  Topics of mental illness and alcoholism are mentioned but not given overt attention.  This serves the film's meandering focus as our hero lacks a driving sense of purpose.   Domino's fiancé Joseph (Raul Castillo) appears brutish.  However, Joseph delivers the most poignant line in the movie when he thanks Andrew for looking out for his family.  The terrific performances by Leslie Mann, Dakota Johnson and Vanessa Burghardt are disarming.  Cooper Raiff wrote, directed and starred in CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH.  It's is a coming of age film that's charming in the teenage years but off-putting in 20 something millennials.  Andrew is not detestable nor as likable as he considers himself to be.  It's questionable whether to see or not to see.  Seems to me to be - meh.