The Ex

Setting life goals is as much about reflecting on the past as it is looking forward. Where you come from sets you up for what you want in life. Jesse Peretz’s frustratingly uneven The Ex attempts to exploring the mentality behind life goals and the wacky chaos that ensues when you toss in a bunch of borderline offensive gags, Zach Braff’s pout and a kid who really wants to be a carnivorous Woddy Allen.

Shortly after the birth of their son, Tom (Braff) and Sophia (Amanda Peet) move back to Ohio for a new beginning of sorts. With a poor track record of holding down a job and the pressure of supporting a family, Tom heads off to work at the same advertising agency as his father-in-law (Charles Grodin). There Tom encounters Chip (Jason Bateman), a former high school friend/psychotic crush of Sophia’s. Now bound to a wheelchair, Chip does all he can to woo his former dream mate back. All the while he’s playing his way to the top of the corporate ladder.

For better or worse, much of the gags in The Ex stem from Chip’s disability and Tom’s questioning of its authenticity. There’s an overriding meanness that surrounds the film. Although it appears to be done in the name of satire, there are times when the line is neared, if not crossed completely. It happens so often that it almost reeks of desperation. Granted, there are times when the satire shines through creating some genuinely funny moments. More often, though, they’re the ones that make you want to shake your head and cringe.

The Ex does show a lot of potential, however it fails to tap into it. There’s definitely something going on in the world with regards to uncertainty over the roles of the genders in the modern family. More and more men are fighting to play Mr. Mom. There’s others, like Tom and Sophia, who consider it but opt for the traditional route. It’s not all about Dad being the breadwinner anymore. However, the focus here is on past relationships rather than on the new family structure. Mix in some office humour that’s nothing close to even the most average episode of The Office and there’s some very awkward moments.

Having not seen more than a preview’s worth of Scrubs, my exposure to Braff has thus far been limited to Garden State, a film I absolutely adore. It was smart, heartfelt and moved to be something more than your typical romantic comedy. The Ex is more or less Braff frowning, being a nerd and not at all justifying his being some swell guy. In fact, one could argue that’s the same with every character. Although everyone being perfect and holy would be boring, The Ex has a total of zero sympathetic characters. Even the geeky kid who swallows hamburgers whole is unnecessarily cruel at times.

The Ex had the potential. The problem is that it just doesn’t follow through. Perhaps given the deep cast and the possible exploration on the changing tides of the familial unit I had my hopes too high. But like the title suggests, The Ex is something I’d hope to eventually forget.