Depressed and borderline desperate for seven lonely years since his divorce, John (John C. Reilly) has nearly given up hope that he’ll ever find love again.
Cyrus and the Oedipus Complex
When his ex-wife (Catherine Keener) talks him into attending a party, he surprisingly meets Molly (Marisa Tomei) a beautiful woman clearly out of his league, but who finds his honesty and vulnerability attractive. They immediately jump into a physical relationship that goes well until John visits her home and meets Cyrus (Jonah Hill), her 21-year-old son.
Raising Cyrus as a single mother, Molly has been a little too affectionate and way too permissive, allowing her son to manipulate her through fake illnesses and self-indulgent musical and photographic endeavors. Worst of all, he’s got some serious psychological damage of the Oedipal variety in which he wants to kill anyone who gets too close to his mother. Behind his sensitive questions and guileless blue eyes, lies a very disturbed young man.
Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass Write and Direct
Cyrus is the first studio-financed feature (Fox Searchlight) from brothers Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass, best known for their multi-hyphenate work (The Puffy Chair, Scrapple) in the independent film world. This stylized film contains improvisation, jerky camera action, extreme close-ups, and voiceovers that consistently give Cyrus an art house sensibility despite its high-profile stars.
Many scenes feel awkward and uncomfortable, which seems an intentional ploy to balance the comedy with a more serious side. Viewers can never be sure exactly how far Cyrus will go in his quest to keep his mother single, how angry nice-guy John will get, and how much bad behavior Molly’s denial can dismiss.
Engaging Performances in Cyrus
Reilly, Hill, and Tomei give honest layered performances that help keep the audience guessing as to what comes next. Keener also excels as the likeable ex-wife who still looks out for her loser ex-husband despite her wedding engagement. Matt Walsh plays her fiancé, a man who unwillingly puts up with John’s irritating reliance on his ex-wife in order to keep the peace.
Fun, interesting, and creepy, Cyrus brings an original romantic comedy vision to the screen. Here's a suggestion for the sequel: Get Cyrus some heavy duty psychological counseling, put him on a low-carb diet, and sign him up for an online dating site.
Cyrus
- A divorced man finds the perfect woman until he meets her overly possessive son.
- Starring John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, Catherine Keener, Matt Walsh, Diane Mizota, Kathy Wittes, Katie Aselton, Jamie Donnelly
- Directors: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
- Writers: Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass
- Genre: Romantic Comedy
- Run Time: 92 minutes
- Rating: R (for language and some sexual material)
- 4/5 – Very Good
To watch a trailer and get more information about Cyrus, visit the official website.
Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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