Moving to a new place can be scary whether you are five or fifty. The idea of leaving everything you know behind and permanently settling in a place with unfamiliar restaurants and new faces is terrifying. It can often result in those moving, hitting a bit of a rut in the place they now call home. The Overnight is the story of a young couple, Alex (Adam Scott) and Emily (Taylor Schilling), and their son, as they relocate from Seattle to Los Angeles. They, like the rest of the human world, worry that they and their son, RJ (RJ Hermes), will not make new friends--Kurt (Jason Schwartzman) and Charlotte (Judith Godréche)--and that the three of them will spend their years without anyone else. Just two weeks into their settlement, the three meet a family that welcome the newcomers into their home with open arms. After the couples’ children go to sleep, the four are left to spend the night together and experience some things that many might consider odd. As the night moves on, things get even more strange and maybe even a bit out of hand. These new friends will open up Alex and Emily’s eyes to new experiences and will change the course of their lives forever.
Adam Scott is best known for his role on the ever popular NBC sitcom Parks & Recreation. His presence in The Overnight is similar to that of Parks & Rec. He is able to steal nearly every scene he is in, and it is not because he has a big, boisterous personality. He is very unassuming, quiet and almost timid in his performances and that makes him endearing to viewers. It is sometimes nice to see someone who is relatable and not too over the top. His calm, and often identifiable, demeanor makes him great in The Overnight as from the opening moments of the film, things continue to get whackier. Interestingly, the decision to have Scott perform in such a manner (whoever’s idea it was), is not to balance any of the other personalities on screen. Schilling, Schwartzman and Godréche each bring the same simple demeanor to the film and help to create a laid back and chill vibe throughout (even considering the taboo context of the story).
It seems that writer and director Patrick Brice strived to create a film that allows audiences to kick back and relieve some stress. He successfully accomplishes his goal. The interesting part of this approach to cinema is the fact that the story, as asinine as it is, is quite stressful. He has his incredibly simplistic cast (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) to thank for the success of The Overnight. Brice, and his cast and crew, develop a film with little to no existential meaning that allows viewers to appreciate only what is in front of them rather than having to dive deep into the story and try to find alternative meanings. It is this cast that should be credited for turning these stressful situations into stress-free enjoyment.
Brice, Scott, and the rest of the cast, construct a beautifully scripted film filled with laughs. The Overnight is simple; there are no twists or unexpected reveals, and it appeals to audiences who want to kick back and enjoy a good laugh. The simplistic film is perfect for a get together (as long as all parties are alright with extremely adult content), and it presents seemingly endless awkward laughs and helps to develop [again] awkward conversations among friends.
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