Armed with the tagline, “A funny thing happened on the way to rehab”, this film tells the story of piano prodigy, Eli Bloom (Jesse Eisenberg) who desperately seeks to get his mother, Penny (Melissa Leo), checked into rehab. And he needs to do this in time to get to a very important audition for a prestigious music school. Of course, things do not go according to plan and fun and frivolity ensues.
Along the way, Eli has no choice but to engage with Penny’s drug dealer, Sprinkles (to which she owes a considerable amount of money), played by Tracey Morgan, and his colleague, Black (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) and acts as a Spanish/English translator between them and their big-time drug connection, Eduardo (Paul Calderon).
Marketed as a comedy/drama, the film doesn’t seem to bring any belly laughs. It acts like it is just a series of unfortunate events that may lend to a chuckle. Eisenberg is his usual know-it-all, mildly irritating self and Leo, who won an Oscar for her supporting role in The Fighter, is very convincing as his drug-addicted mother. Their chemistry is quite good as a mother/son team, which makes you wonder why he grew up so level-headed while she completely flailed in her single-motherhood.
Tracey Morgan is his typical comic self but is restricted by an average script. His sidekick, Black, could have also been great, but settled for someone who was just alright. There also was a little something blossoming between Penny and Eduardo, which was incredibly sweet, but that subplot went nowhere in order to preference Eli and his pianist destiny. In essence, the lot of them behave like a pack of idiots, frantically driving around town and trying desperately to get their act together.
Why Stop Now? was a bit of fun, but didn’t push the envelope as far as it could have. That being said, the film is a decent one, enough to while away a rainy weekend afternoon.
Review Score: TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Duration: 98 minutes
Rating: MA15+
Why Stop Now? is released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 19th through Eagle Entertainment.
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