Maybe this family dynamic hit a little too close to home. Maybe I agree that you should always expect the best from people. Either way, Paul Rudd delivers a grinable performance in his new lead role.

Our Idiot Brother is the story of Ned, (Rudd) a man in a state of eternal hippie arrested development. He makes choices based not out of stupidity, but from a naivete’, idealistic place that has high hopes for the rest of the world. Ned is jailed for selling pot to a uniformed officer who seemingly entraps him, by making Ned sympathetic to the cop’s bad day.

After getting out, we meet Ned’s three slightly dysfunctional sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel & Emily Mortimer) who take him in. With each sister he seemingly destroys their lives through his man-child ways, but somehow also saves them at the same time.

I feel a little cynical calling out his actions, but it’s hard to believe that someone like Ned actually exists. Are there people so trusting of their fellow man, that they would ask them (on a subway) to hold onto their pocket of twenties, while they clean up a coffee spill? I think there are few, at the most. Then again, it’s hard to criticize a person who only wants good things for and from those around them.

Ned’s sisters seem to be living stereotypically train wrecks of lives, which makes this comedy feel a little contrived. Then again, Rudd’s happy blowtorch of sunshine is a bit too. The thing that saves this movie is it’s good intentions and good nature.

I for one, like Ned.

At one time, I couldn’t say the same for Paul Rudd. From the days of his indie comedy background, I enjoyed his bit roles. That was until he took over broader parts like in “The Ten,” “The Oh In Ohio” and “Over Her Dead Body.” But now, I feel Rudd has grown into a mainstream comical lead. He’s also now one of the guys that I’d go see a movie, just because he’s in it.