Movie Review: 'Cyrus' – Awkward Comedy Still Rules
In Cyrus, Jonah Hill (Superbad, Get Him to the Greek) stars as the title character and over-breast fed son of Molly, played by Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler). When an undersexed John, played by John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), becomes Molly’s new love interest, Cyrus quickly goes from home-schooled kid to creepy-dude-next door. Hill, Tomei and Reilly are joined by Catherine Keener, who stars as Jamie, and Matt Walsh, who stars as Tim.
Cyrus reminds us that awkward can be humorous, if only for a brief second. The film is a tailspin of ‘laugh-out-loud’ inter-mixed with scenes that will leave an unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach. Written and directed by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass, this film is all about finding the most awkward moments, some of which are hilarious – while others border on disturbing. In one scene, Cyrus joins Molly in the shower, while John sits on Molly’s bed watching. This Oedipus complex instant, occurring early in the movie, will send shivers up anyone’s spine. You’ll quickly ask yourself what kind of movie did you just walk into, while contemplating sneaking out the exit before the audience gathers its wits. If you’re able to overlook the freakish, you will discover a film that is actually quite entertaining – minus the Hollywood blockbuster glitz.
The movie begins with Jamie walking in on her ex-husband John masturbating. The quick gag will widen your eyes to a movie that will have you constantly feeling like you walked in on a litany of wrong moments. Jamie decides to take John out for the night to a party with her fiancé Tim. At the party, John gets drunk as he bombs repeatedly with every woman he tries to pick up. Finally, John goes to take piss outside to escape the rejection.
Enter Marisa Tomei. “Nice penis.” If only every day could be like this one. Get drunk. Take a piss on someone’s property. Meet Marisa Tomei who likes your penis. You can’t script a more utopian scene. Oh, wait, the Duplass brothers did. Why is it that Ms. Tomei always ends up in movies like The Wrestlerand Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead which exploit her sex appeal? This is far from a complaint. After all, Tomei is drop dead gorgeous. This is just a concerned inquiry regarding an actor with limitless talent.
John and Molly have a one-night stand that transforms into a blossoming relationship. There’s only one problem; Molly has a son. Now, dating a mother isn’t really an issue and it’s almost certain that Molly probably ranks up there in the top 5 movie M.I.L.F.s of all time. However, Molly doesn’t have a young child. She has 21-year old Cyrus. From the moment Jonah shows up on camera, you’ll notice one thing about him – Cyrus is frighteningly eerie. His deadpan eyes, love of electronic music, and unsevered umbilical tie to his mom makes him feel like a pedophile in the making. Cyrus has one mission: to keep his mom to himself and away from John.
The bizarre love triangle persists throughout the entire movie. Nothing really changes in the story; it’s a simple premise blown out of proportion. There is a hint of mystery in you’ll wonder just how deep or intimate Molly’s relationship is with Cyrus. If this movie starred anyone but Hill, Reilly and Tomei it simply would not have worked. Each of these actors sell the running joke time and time again in this disturbing laugh ride. Tomei’s performance serves as the pivotal anchor in the flippant tug-of-war battle between Cyrus and John.
The beauty of Cyrus is in its bizarre simplicity. This is a movie that will capture your attention and have you constantly wondering “WTF” you are watching. But, this is what makes Cyrus stand out from the crowd.
