Tony Hale plays Sid Straw, an ordinary middle-age guy in nearly every way. He works as a sales guy at a software company. He reasonably successful, graduated from Penn, struggles with dating, has a somewhat strained relationship with his family, and is just on the other side of awkward. Sid's sense of humor is not quite in line with "common sensibility". There is a little bit of Arrested Development's Buster in Sid Straw. Sid's life takes a turn when he is asked to co-chair the western regional reunion for Penn alumni. His co-chair decides that the entire organization/communication surrounding the event will take place on facebook. Sid gets a facebook account, and of course makes all of the newbie social media mistakes that most people are so far beyond in 2021. We look back at this online ignorance with a bit of nostalgia and knowing compassion and the occasional cringe. Posting publicly instead of DM? Ooomph! And when those posts are to classmate Elizabeth Banks, and go viral, Sid's life is thrown upside down. What I particularly appreciate about this film is the emphasis on Sid and his journey through this storm. And while there are lots of obvious choices in the story, every character seems just enough ordinary. The comedy is not based on put-downs or misogyny or vulgarity, but instead on relatable situations. A pleasant film.
5 stars (out of 5)
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