Comments & critiques on cultural events and New York City happenings.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
YOUR FRIENDS and NEIGHBORS-Not For Everyone with Too Much Going On/Jon Hamm/Amanda Peet Star
Jon Hamm is the central character in a convoluted cast of characters starring as Andrew Cooper "Coop." Coop brings up to speed quickly taking us through his predictably plodding pathway leading to Princeton and a fast paced financial career that careens into a plush lifestyle in an affluent suburb with a sexy wife (Amanda Peet) and son and daughter. Just as quickly this house of cards comes crashing down. His wife is caught au flagranet with his ex-best friend which results in divorce, she gets the mansion and major custody. His conniving boss Jack, played convincingly by Corbin Bernsen ("LA LAW") fires him (while they're in a jacuzzi after racquetball) for his sexual indiscretions with a co-worker. Jack takes his client roster, reminds him of his no compete clause and freezes his lucrative earnings with the firm (whether Coop has a legal case grounds to sue is not clear for now). What result is a cataclysmic financial fallout that still has him driving his Ferrari and responsible for the mortgage on his ex's mansion, two private education tuitions and the care for his beloved but mentally unstable sister. We're lead to believe, although it's not clear, how destitute Coop is although he's desperate enough to commit felonious burglaries on his apparent "friends and neighbors" who retain their residences in his former hood. There's ambiguity as to whether to feel empathy for Coop as a victim and vindicate him of his sticky fingered findings from his filthy rich former neighbors. Whether these upper crust elites are still friends to trust is in doubt. Ham is one handsome hunk and he's having himself a lot of sex while still lusting for his ex. If Ham is your jam, there's plenty here to savor. There's also some interesting characters with his male best friend who is also his money manager, a former neighbor also in the throes of divorce and a willing sex partner. His teenage daughter brings her tennis game and sexual escapades into the fold. And, a tough wizened pawnbroker whose wise to shady customers adds a little "Breaking Badass" to the mix. You get a lot for your buck in this dark comedy. However, I want to see a smart parody on the rich especially with epiphanies from Coop. Coop has figured out how to navigates his way around cops and inside the wealthy homes left unlocked. I'm curious but not totally convinced that despite the lush lifestyles, good looking cast and illicit loot is worth spending more time with.
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We gave it a half hour. There’s no one to like in this who approved this series disaster. The wealthy are wealthy than us, thanks I knew that.
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