Aaron Caudill I wanted to turn this off, but considering it was 10pm on a Sunday night and I had work tomorrow, I decided I was too deep to look for another movie and chose to tough it out. My main gripe, none of these characters are likable. In fact, most of them I found myself hating. Chris Pine is a wannabe hotshot selfish asshole douche and it's hard to invest any interest in him. The kid is a smart mouthed little shit, who if he was my kid, would NEVER talk to me the way he does to strangers and especially his own mother. The plot is not that complex yet it drags on and on, you just want it to be over already. I'm honestly shocked at how many people gave this film a good score and actually wrote glowing reviews about it. Maybe I don't get it, but I guess I'm glad about that.

jamiecostelo58 A film that perhaps was overlooked by many, People Like Us is a great movie that has its mixture of moving and humorous moments, all entwined with wonderful imagery and a dense musical score. It's a film detailing the trials and tribulations of a fractured family life and how perhaps everyone has a "skeleton in the closet" as the saying goes. And as it's inspired by true events on behalf of the director Alex Kurtzman, he shows the viewer the emotional aspects of broken families and strained relationships with admirable tenacity; it makes you wonder what goes on behind closed doors.The performances in this film were second to none, with Elizabeth Banks the stand out in my mind. Banks delivers an alert and moving execution of her role as Frankie, and she shares a wonderful chemistry with Chris Pine, who also proves he is more than just a pretty face. While Pine's character of Sam may at first appear to be a bit pompous and big headed, Pine is able to show how he actually is not so bad after all; the touching moments he shares with (still stunning) mom Michelle Pfeiffer, the eventual truth regarding his true relationship with Frankie, as well as the conclusion to the film prove this.People Like Us is simply a movie that packs a huge emotional punch about love and how life is not always as simple as it could be. We do make mistakes after all; but when those mistakes cause pain and suffering to those around us, it's time to take a step back and re-evaluate that life, and that is what makes People Like Us one of those films that instantly touches you. 9/10

callanvass (Credit IMDb) While settling his recently deceased father's estate, a salesman discovers he has a sister whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re-examine their perceptions about family and life choices. This was one of the most underrated films of 2012. It's a genuinely heartwarming story about redemption and finding yourself. I'm somewhat estranged from a lot of my family, aside from my Dad. I may not have had no contact with my sister like Sam (Chris Pine) does in this movie, but I was easily able to feel sympathy for him. Chris Pine did a really nice job of transforming his character throughout the movie. He plays an arrogant human being for a while, who pushes everyone away, including his love interest (Olivia Wilde) I really enjoyed his changes that he made in the movie. His chemistry with Elizabeth Banks was fantastic. Speaking of Elizabeth Banks, she is just as pivotal as Pine was to making this film as enjoyable as it was. I feel she is one of the most underrated talents in Hollywood. She was natural as a former alcoholic. Olivia Wilde felt a little cold at times, but she did well. If the ending doesn't make you smile, I really question your sanity. 7.8/10

tigerfish50 A cynical salesman called Sam learns that one of his dubious deals has imploded into looming lawsuits, unemployment and debt, shortly before he's informed about the death of his prosperous estranged father. He returns to the family home too late for the funeral, and makes some grudging attempts to repair the strained relationship with his mother. A day or so later, Sam meets with the family lawyer to receive disappointing news about a meager inheritance, before being entrusted with a substantial cash bequest intended for his father's secret illegitimate daughter and her young son. Torn between keeping the money for himself and handing it over, Sam decides to become acquainted with his half sister without revealing their common parentage.Unfortunately the opportunity to make something of this promising idea gradually slips away in a series of scenes that become increasingly trite and sentimental. Despite the efforts of a talented cast, minor misunderstandings are constantly being leveraged into artificial melodramas until the predictable moment of redemption finally arrives. It's all formulaic enough to turn one into a cynical salesman.