Smart People

Directed by Noam Murro

Starring: Thomas Hayden Church, Ellen Page, Sarah Jessica Parker, Denis Quaid

It’s like there’s a whole sub-genre of American movies dedicated to presenting grumpy middle-aged academics as lovable kidults that just need a bit of help in maturing from the younger generation.

In Smart People Denis Quaid plays essentially the same character played by Michael Douglas in The Wonder Years. The miserable sadistic teacher with a heart of gold is as much of a cinema tradition as the tart with a heart. The cinema’s first emotionally challenged teacher – and some people over 85 say the best – was Robert Donat, who set the ground rules in Goodbye Mr Chips way back in 1939.

Here, back in the 21st century, Quaid finds his way from misery to happiness with the help of a new lover (Sarah Jessica Parker) to replace his dead wife. Parker and Quaid make quite a believable couple. The age difference is minimal and neither of them is too beautiful to be credible, which is nice.

Most of the funny lines, and there are about six of them, go to Page and Church. Church, of ‘Sideways’ fame, plays the pot-smoking uncle upon whom Page – playing a previously straight-laced 17-year-old Republican – develops a schoolgirl crush.

In real life Page is now approaching 24 years old. What will she do when she starts to look too haggard for teenage roles? And who cares?

Anyway. Not a bad film, as long as you don’t expect to bust a gut laughing. You won’t cry either. However, if the last movie you saw was a Woody Allen production, this might seem like an Indiana Jones production. Otherwise, it’s one you can safely take your mammy to see. She’ll think you’re awfully grown up and might buy you a bag of chips on the way home.