A sweet and at times raunchy comedy, Our Idiot Brother features Paul Rudd at his likeable best in his portrayal of a liberal Jesus figure stuck in a rut.

Christ figures in comedy are a regular occurrence. Much like The Dude in The Big Lewbowski, Ned (Paul Rudd) in Our Idiot Brother rocks the JC look (taken on by hippies everywhere), relaxes in the glow of his drug induced halo and lives a life of gullible pacifism.  

It is hard to remember a character as unconditional in love and trust as Ned, at it’s that exact redeeming quality which also makes him, well, a first grade idiot.

The film begins with Ned selling drugs to a uniformed police officer, from which he has to do time and is placed on parole. Kicked out of his hippie commune and denied access to his dog Willie Nelson (the resemblance is uncanny!), Ned bums with his three sister’s housewife Liz (Emily Mortimer), bi-sexual Natalie (Zooey Deschanel) and career driven Miranda (Elizabeth Banks).

Although best intentions are his goal, Ned can’t help but create disaster everywhere he goes. Yet like a cute, shaggy dog who can’t help but pee on the brand new rug, we can’t help but fall in love with the guy and a lot of that comes down to the casting of Rudd.

While 2010 wasn’t the best year for the likeable thesp with How Do You Know and Dinner for Schmucks seeing Rudd’s stock drop considerably, Our Idiot Brother puts him back onto the right path with Rudd doing his underplaying comedy shtick very well, albeit under a bushy beard that could house a cluster of baby birds (something I’m sure his character will be cool with).

As scripted by first time writers David Schisgall and Evgenia Peretz and directed by Jesse Peretz (former Lemonheads bass player for alt rock fans out there), Ned lives out his life in a laid back, honest, “what would Jesus do?” manner which benefits everyone…except his family.

Yet while he is the underachieving idiot of his clan, he also uncovers the sins of his three sisters and makes them face their flaws.

Sometimes Our Idiot Brother is funny. Other times dramatic. What it definitely isn’t is a memorable movie, worthy of repeats or requoting. Rather, it’s a simple film, sweet in nature, at times hilarious, at times sad, a film of the now. Just like Ned himself.