An engaging indie reminiscent of both Neil Simon and Woody Allen, The Daytrippers utilizes a strong cast as a family travel down literal avenues to unravel a mystery over fidelity.
Eliza (Hope Davis) is happily married to publisher Louis (Stanley Tucci), until she discovers a love letter that may or may not have been sent to him. Determined to find out the truth, she travels into the city to confront him, aided by her domineering mother (Anne Meara), subdued father (Pat McNamara), sister Jo (Parker Posey) and her novelist boyfriend Carl (Liev Schreiber).
The Daytrippers works best during moments with the Malone family together, from Eliza and Jo's sisterly bonding to mom Rita's fawning over Carl. The various derailments and subplots along the way are a mixed bag, the best allowing for some neat interludes from Marc Grapey as a sleazy womanizer, Marcia Gay Harden as a drunken party girl and Stephanie Venditto as a over-excited receptionist.
In terms of acting, Anne Meara steals the show as the fiery matriarch of the Malone family, while a lot of fun is created from Carl's episodic reciting of his novel, a pretentious story about a man with a dog's head. Parker Posey, as always, is also hilarious with her sarcastic gags and deadpan delivery.
Not particularly memorable but a movie that at least entertains throughout its short running time, The Daytrippers is an enjoyable melodrama strengthened by the realistic familial chemistry between the film's leads.
Rating: C+
Eliza (Hope Davis) is happily married to publisher Louis (Stanley Tucci), until she discovers a love letter that may or may not have been sent to him. Determined to find out the truth, she travels into the city to confront him, aided by her domineering mother (Anne Meara), subdued father (Pat McNamara), sister Jo (Parker Posey) and her novelist boyfriend Carl (Liev Schreiber).
The Daytrippers works best during moments with the Malone family together, from Eliza and Jo's sisterly bonding to mom Rita's fawning over Carl. The various derailments and subplots along the way are a mixed bag, the best allowing for some neat interludes from Marc Grapey as a sleazy womanizer, Marcia Gay Harden as a drunken party girl and Stephanie Venditto as a over-excited receptionist.
In terms of acting, Anne Meara steals the show as the fiery matriarch of the Malone family, while a lot of fun is created from Carl's episodic reciting of his novel, a pretentious story about a man with a dog's head. Parker Posey, as always, is also hilarious with her sarcastic gags and deadpan delivery.
Not particularly memorable but a movie that at least entertains throughout its short running time, The Daytrippers is an enjoyable melodrama strengthened by the realistic familial chemistry between the film's leads.
Rating: C+