People Like Us (2012 film)

Last updated
People Like Us
People like us film.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Alex Kurtzman
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Salvatore Totino
Edited by Robert Leighton
Music by A. R. Rahman
Production
companies
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures [lower-alpha 1]
Release dates
  • June 15, 2012 (2012-06-15)(LA Film Fest)
  • June 29, 2012 (2012-06-29)(United States)
Running time
114 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million [3]
Box office$12.6 million [4]

People Like Us (known during production as Welcome to People) [5] is a 2012 American drama film directed by Alex Kurtzman in his directorial debut. [6] The film was written by Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jody Lambert, and stars Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D'Addario and Michelle Pfeiffer. A. R. Rahman composed the soundtrack. [7] The film was released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through Touchstone Pictures on June 29, 2012.

Contents

Plot

Sam Harper, a struggling corporate trader in New York City, may have violated federal law and faces a possible Federal Trade Commission investigation, so his boss urges him to bribe federal officials. Returning home, Sam's girlfriend Hannah informs him that his estranged father, Jerry, has died. They fly to Los Angeles, where he has a tense reunion with his mother Lillian.

Jerry's lawyer and friend Ike tells Sam he will not inherit any money. He then hands him a shaving kit containing $150,000 in cash and a note stipulating that the money be delivered to Josh Davis.

Josh is a troubled 11-year-old, whose bartender mother Frankie Davis is a recovering alcoholic. Sam secretly follows her to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. There, he learns Frankie is Jerry's illegitimate daughter, and therefore his paternal half-sister, and Josh his nephew. Sam introduces himself to Frankie as a visiting fellow alcoholic. When Sam tells Hannah he intends to keep the money, she returns to New York, disgusted.

Sam then introduces himself to Josh, preventing him from shoplifting CDs from a record store. Soon he becomes involved in their life, gradually growing closer. Helping her with laundry, he learns that Jerry visited her and her mother on Sundays, and that Frankie has never met her father's wife and son.

Meanwhile, Sam broods over his deepening legal troubles. Frankie does not want him around Josh anymore because she fears that when he returns to New York, it will upset her son. He decides to leave, but returns to pick up Josh from school, as Frankie later calls him because Josh's been in a fight.

Sam eventually reveals that he is Jerry's son, as Frankie is acting too grateful, resulting in her exploding in anger and ordering him to leave. She then receives Jerry's money through a lawyer. Frankie quits her job, enrolls in school, and moves into a suburban neighborhood with Josh. She cuts contact with Sam.

Later, Lillian is hospitalized due to a heart condition. Hannah finds Sam in the waiting room, and they reconcile. Hannah has enrolled into UCLA's law program to remain close to Sam after realizing he wants to be with his family.

After being discharged from the hospital, Lillian tells Sam that she forced Jerry to choose their family over Frankie and her mother. She was protecting Sam, but Jerry instead rejected his son because he was a reminder of the daughter he abandoned. One day, Josh, who is having difficulty adjusting to Sam's absence, tries to find him after obtaining Lillian's address. He leaves Sam a note with their new address.

When Sam visits Frankie, he asks her forgiveness and wants to be her brother and Josh's uncle and father figure. He shows her an old film reel that Jerry shot of a young Sam at a playground. In the film, a girl joins Sam, and Frankie realizes that Jerry had regularly brought her and Sam to play together and thus loved both his children. At this recognition, Frankie accepts Sam as her brother.

Cast

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for the film was composed by Academy Award Winner A. R. Rahman. The film marks his first collaboration with Alex Kurtzman. In an interview, Rahman quoted the director's words on film's music: "Alex said [the music] can't be epic, it can't be world music ... I was following his vision, while at the same time sticking to something that I wanted to do." [14] The soundtrack was released 19 June 2012 via Lakeshore Records.

In the movie, when Sam first puts on one of Jerry's records, the song "Fast as a Shark" can be heard in the background.

Home media

People Like Us was released on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download on 2 October 2012 from Touchstone Home Entertainment. The release was produced in two different physical packages: a 2-disc combo pack (Blu-ray and DVD), and a 1-disc DVD.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 53% based on 120 reviews, with an average score of 5.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Though calculated and melodramatic, People Like Us benefits from a pair of solid leads and its rare screenplay that caters to adult filmgoers." [15] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 49 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [16]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Pfeiffer</span> American actress (born 1958)

Michelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. One of Hollywood's most bankable stars during the 1980s and 1990s, her performances have earned her numerous accolades including a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Waterston</span> American actor (born 1940)

Samuel Atkinson Waterston is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television, and film. He has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and a BAFTA Award. His acting career has spanned over five decades acting on stage and screen. Waterston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Hartnett</span> American actor (born 1978)

Joshua Daniel Hartnett is an American actor. He began his career playing Michael Fitzgerald on ABC's Cracker (1997–1998), after which he became known as a teen idol through starring parts in films such as Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, The Faculty, The Virgin Suicides (1999), Pearl Harbor, O, Black Hawk Down, and 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002).

<i>Ruthless People</i> 1986 film by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker

Ruthless People is a 1986 American black comedy film directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and written by Dale Launer. It stars Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Anita Morris, and Helen Slater, with Bill Pullman in a supporting role in his film debut. The film is the story of a couple who kidnap their ex-boss's wife to get revenge and extort money from him. They soon realize he does not want her back and was planning to kill her himself. Meanwhile, the boss's mistress plans a blackmail attempt on him, which also fails to go as planned.

<i>Frankie and Johnny</i> (1991 film) 1991 film by Garry Marshall

Frankie and Johnny is a 1991 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer in their first film together since Scarface (1983). Héctor Elizondo, Nathan Lane, and Kate Nelligan appear in supporting roles. The original score was composed by Marvin Hamlisch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Kurtzman</span> American filmmaker

Alexander Hilary Kurtzman is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his work on the Star Trek franchise since 2009, co-writing the scripts to Transformers (2007), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) with his writing and producing partner Roberto Orci, and directing and co-writing The Mummy (2017). He made his directorial debut with People Like Us (2012), co-written by him, Orci, and Jody Lambert from a story by him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Pine</span> American actor (born 1980)

Christopher Whitelaw Pine is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as James T. Kirk in the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–2016) and Steve Trevor in the DC Extended Universe films Wonder Woman (2017) and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020).

<i>The Story of Us</i> (film) 1999 film by Rob Reiner

The Story of Us is a 1999 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer as a couple married for 15 years.

"Frankie and Johnny" is a murder ballad, a traditional American popular song. It tells the story of a woman, Frankie, who finds her man Johnny making love to another woman and shoots him dead. Frankie is then arrested; in some versions of the song she is also executed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Ashworth</span> UK soap opera character, created 2005

Suzanne Ashworth is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Suzanne Hall. She made her first on-screen appearance on 30 September 2005. Suzanne was introduced by series producer David Hanson as part of the Ashworth family. In February 2010, Suzanne was axed from the serial by new series producer Paul Marquess. Suzanne made her final appearance on 14 July 2010. Marquess stated in an interview that he was a big fan of Hall's work in the serial. In late 2010 it was revealed that Hall had returned to filming and Suzanne would be pregnant with twins. Suzanne's storylines have included trying to keep her family together, fathering a son Rhys Ashworth secretly with another man, other affairs and a feud with Kathy Barnes. Suzanne returned to Hollyoaks on 14 January 2011 for a period of 2 months. In 2012 it was announced that Hall had reprised the role once again. It was announced in November 2023, that Hall would be reprising the role once again and would be returning "for the foreseeable" with her return scenes airing on 23 January 2024.

<i>October Road</i> (TV series) Drama television series

October Road is an American drama television series. It premiered on ABC on March 15, 2007, following Grey's Anatomy. It follows Nick Garrett who, after a decade, returns to his hometown, the fictional Knights Ridge, Massachusetts. The show takes place in the same world as the 1996 movie Beautiful Girls; both were written by Scott Rosenberg based on his life and friends.

People Like Us may refer to:

<i>Sweet Liberty</i> 1986 film by Alan Alda

Sweet Liberty is a 1986 American comedy film written and directed by Alan Alda, and starring Alda in the lead role, alongside Michael Caine and Michelle Pfeiffer, with support from Bob Hoskins, Lois Chiles, Lise Hilboldt, Lillian Gish, and Larry Shue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Appelbaum</span> TV writer/producer

Josh Appelbaum is an American television writer, screenwriter, showrunner and producer.

<i>Ye Maaya Chesave</i> 2010 Indian Telugu-language film by Gautham Vasudev Menon

Ye Maaya Chesave is a 2010 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film written and directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. The film stars Naga Chaitanya and Samantha in her debut as lead. It was produced by Manjula Ghattamaneni under the banner Indira Productions with soundtrack composed by A. R. Rahman. The film featured cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa, editing by Anthony Gonsalves, and dialogue by Umarji Anuradha.

<i>Cowboys & Aliens</i> 2011 American film by Jon Favreau

Cowboys & Aliens is a 2011 American science fiction Western action film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, and Noah Ringer. The film is based on the 2006 Platinum Studios graphic novel of the same name created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. The plot revolves around an amnesiac outlaw (Craig), a wealthy cattleman (Ford), and a mysterious traveler (Wilde) who must ally to save a group of townspeople abducted by aliens. The screenplay was written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby, based on a screen story by the latter two along with Steve Oedekerk. The film was produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Kurtzman, Orci, and Rosenberg, with Steven Spielberg and Favreau serving as executive producers.

<i>No Strings Attached</i> (film) 2011 film by Ivan Reitman

No Strings Attached is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed and co-produced by Ivan Reitman. Starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, the film is about two friends who decide to make a pact to have a "no strings attached" relationship, without falling in love with each other. The film was released in the United States on January 21, 2011.

<i>The Words</i> (film) 2012 American film

The Words is a 2012 American mystery romantic drama film, written and directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal in their directorial debut. It stars Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, Dennis Quaid, and Nora Arnezeder. Cooper, a childhood friend of Klugman and Sternthal from Philadelphia, was also the executive producer.

<i>People Like Us</i> (soundtrack) 2012 soundtrack album by A.R. Rahman

People Like Us: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to Alex Kurtzman's 2012 film of the same name. It is composed by Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman whose last successful international release was 127 Hours. Rahman began recording the patch work of score in 2011 and the score was completed by late September 2011. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on June 19, 2012, under the label Lakeshore Records.

<i>The Lazarus Effect</i> (2015 film) 2015 American supernatural science fiction horror film directed by David Gelb

The Lazarus Effect is a 2015 American science fantasy horror film directed by David Gelb and written by Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater. The film stars Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, and Sarah Bolger. The film was released on February 27, 2015, by Relativity Media. It received negative reviews from critics but was a box office success, grossing $38.4 million worldwide against a budget of $3 million.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McCarthy, Todd (June 11, 2012). "People Like Us: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. Eller, Claudia (February 10, 2009). "DreamWorks gets Disney cash in distribution deal". Los Angeles Times.
  3. Kaufman, Amy (2012-06-28). "Seth MacFarlane's 'Ted' to dominate stuffed box-office weekend". LA Times. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  4. "People Like Us (2012)". Box Office Mojo. 2012-06-29. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  5. "Chris Pine's Welcome to People Now Titled People Like Us". Collider.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  6. "Alex Kurtzman Directorial Debut Welcome to People movie". OnlineMovieShut.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  7. "A.R. Rahman to Score 'Welcome to People'". FilmMusicReporter.com. 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  8. "Chris Pine in Talks for 'Welcome to People'". MovieWeb.com. 2010-09-29. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  9. Neish, Jamie (2010-11-11). "Elizabeth Banks Cast In Welcome To People". HeyUGuys. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  10. "EXCLUSIVE: Olivia Wilde Cast in 'Welcome to People'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  11. Kit, Borys (2011-01-10). "Michelle Pfeiffer Joins Chris Pine in 'Welcome to People'". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  12. "Mark Duplass Joins Welcome To People". HollywoodTrailers.net. Retrieved 2011-03-19.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. Jagernauth, Kevin (2011-01-22). "Jon Favreau To Make A Cameo In 'Welcome To People'". indieWire . Archived from the original on 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  14. "A.R. Rahman talks scoring 'People Like Us' and its challenges". Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2012-07-13.
  15. "People Like Us - Rottentomatoes.com". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  16. "People Like Us". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-09-20.