Charming, thin "Are You Here" is only mildly funny
The new comedy "Are You Here" is a film loaded with talent in front of and behind the camera yet still ends up grounded in sporadic laughs and mediocrity. When his off-the-grid best buddy Ben Baker (Zach Galifianakis) inherits his estranged father's fortune, womanizing local weatherman Steve Dallas (Owen Wilson) joins forces with him to battle the legal challenge brought by Ben's formidable sister (Amy Poehler). Directed and written by "Mad Men's" Matthew Weiner in his feature film debut, "Are You Here" is charmingly familiar, slightly odd, and not as near as funny as it should be considering its director and A-list talent. It's heavy on the one-liners, especially from Wilson, though the bland story (when in doubt, always smoke pot - Wilson spends most of the movie stoned) and one-dimensional characters don't add up to much; all three leads also seem typecast: Wilson and Galifianakis as the fun, immature slackers, while "Park and Recreation's" Poehler (especially unsympathetic here) as the uptight witch causing problems for everyone. Galifianakis' part is so similar to his Alan role from "The Hangover" films you expect Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms to show up to cart him off, while Poehler is just annoyingly unlikable. The overlong "Here" isn't really there, and this incoherency is rather unfortunate, given how sharp and smart Weiner's "Mad Men" but it's also no surprise this didn't get a wide release, either. Aside from a few memorable Wilson one-liners, "Are You Here" is a largely unfunny, unmemorable comedy that won't rank as the best for anyone involved.
Wes's Grade: C
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