**Please note, the film reviewed here, Cyrus, has absolutely nothing to do with the despicable "actress/singer" Miley Cyrus. That's not even her real name, btw, so the independent film is well within it's right to have the name.**I never considered myself to be a John C. Reilly fan. For that matter, there are very few people of whom I would call a "fan", but something about Reilly specifically bothers me. It's hard to peg, but I think it's because he always plays the schmuck. Maybe it's not that I don't like him, but I don't like his characters - I feel bad for them, and watching them is not my ideal way to spend a couple of hours. For that reason, I was not that excited about Cyrus, his latest, where he plays, surprise surprise, another schmuck - named John. This time though, he does something about it.
Upon learning of his ex-wifes (Catherine Keener, who is awesome) decision to remarry, John embarks on a relationship all his own with the seemingly perfect woman (Marisa Tomei). There's just one catch - she has a 22-year old son named Cyrus (Jonah Hill) who, to put it mildly, has mommy issues. What we've seen a million times in other movies with a mother-in-law, Cyrus takes an R-rated Parent Trap style approach to a family member wreaking havoc on a couple.
This movie often felt like a cross between an episode of The Office mashed with an indie film - and that is a very good thing. The other very good thing is that the movie doesn't wear out it's welcome. While it's predictable, it entertains and then ends without lagging on. The performances are strong, and the ending is satisfying. I would give Cyrus a 7.5 out of 10.
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