Jerry and Marge Go Large

Director: David Frankel
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Annette Bening, Rainn Wilson, Larry Wilmore, Michael McKean, Ann Harada, Jake McDorman, Anna Camp, Uly Schlesinger, Tracie Thoms
Running Time: 96 min.
Rating: PG-13 

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Jerry and Marge Go Large is the type of small, breezy dramatic comedy from the 90's and early 2000's that middle-aged moviegoers flocked to theaters for on the weekend. It's the very definition of a throwback, feeling almost completely out of time, and while that might not seem like the most passionate endorsement, it's actually a high compliment. You wouldn't be wrong calling it "fluff," but director David Frankel seems to know that, competently and inoffensively holding your interest throughout in telling this true story about a couple exposing a flaw in the lottery system. Its title may be terrible and the first half is slightly stronger, but on the whole, it comes as a relief to get a well made, audience-friendly picture for a change. 

An unceremonious streaming drop on Paramount Plus isn't surprising for a genre that now seems as extinct as the dinosaur, but because of this, what was once commonplace suddenly feels special again, despite how few landing places there are for it. Writer Brad Copeland's screenplay (adapted from Justin Fagone's 2018 article) definitely won't be dazzling anyone with twists and turns because it's just not necessary for what essentially amounts to enjoyable human interest entertainment. And sometimes that's enough. But most of the credit should go to its two legendary leads, sharing the screen together for the first time as spouses, expertly inhabiting roles so normal and relatable that you forget how good they actually are.   

Forced into retirement after working over forty years as a production line manager for Kellogg's, Evart, Michigan resident Jerry Selbee (Bryan Cranston) is preparing to enter his golden years with wife Marge (Annette Bening). He struggles with the transition, looking for ways to spend his free time and keep himself useful while Marge is just excited to have him around the house more. With their supportive but adult children Ben (Jake McDorman) and Dawn (Anna Camp) busy with lives of their own, big thinking, detail oriented Jerry continues to sweat the small stuff, much to his friend and accountant Steve's (Larry Wilmore) mild irritation. 

Jerry's free time comes in handy when he discovers a loophole in Michigan's WinFall lottery system that leads the Selbees to cross state lines to purchase an obscene amount of tickets, resulting in substantially more cash. Soon, Jerry and Marge are inviting friends and neighbors to buy into a piece of their new venture, intending to use the earnings to renovate and revitalize their cash strapped town. But when a cocky Harvard student Tyler (Uly Schlesinger) discovers the same flaw, he formulates a plan to corner the market and force Jerry and Marge out of business for good.

At least initially, there's an About Schmidt vibe to all of this, following an uncertain retiree as he clumsily navigates his way through the next stage of life, whatever it may be. This relies more on plot machinations than that superior film, but the universally liked Jerry isn't nearly as ornery as Warren Schmidt, making this less of a character driven drama than a feel good fable. Once the lottery element is introduced, it shifts into what could be considered a traditional studio comedy, which in this case isn't such an awful thing. 

The script doesn't go too far into the weeds about the scheme other than making it clear Jerry recognizes a loophole and crunches numbers with Marge to buy up thousands of WinFall tickets to increase their odds. This requires semi-regular excursions to a small roadside store in Massachusetts that has the machines and an eccentric manager named Bill (Rainn Wilson). While the state's lottery commission doesn't care as long as the money's rolling in, complications arise with the competing Harvard students and Maya (Tracie Thoms), a curious Boston Globe reporter sniffing for a story.

Jerry and Marge including the Evart residents in their shared mission to resuscitate their close-knit, fledgling town lead the couple to embark on an adventure together for seemingly the first time in ages. That's especially true for Jerry, who feels a sense of renewed purpose after spending decades relatively satisfied and respected while punching the clock at work. But now his obsessive attention to detail is making a major impact on people's lives, as he slowly recognizes how he may have overlooked the obvious joys in his own. 

Cranston and Bening are playing a bit older than their ages, but effortlessly pull it off, elevating what's already respectable material to a higher level. Cranston's post-Breaking Bad career has been filled with interesting choices that display just how far his range extends and this continues that. But it's hard not to make an obvious Walter White comparison with Jerry, whose mundane existence is turned upside down after coming upon a life transforming scheme While the retiree's perfectly legal exploitation of the system to save his town is altruistic and a long way from a dying chemistry teacher's drug empire, it's a testament to Cranston that he can so comfortably slip into this like a pro. 

Bening makes for the ideal partner and an exciting presence as Marge, stealing scenes and making impeccably timed sarcastic quips at her husband while keeping him honest. And the rest of the supporting cast (including an underused Michael McKean) add just the right amount of quirkiness and local color to this small town. Even Uly Schlesinger's slimy Harvard antagonist is bearable, with Copeland's script wisely focusing on the generational gap between the two opposing sides. It also resists giving him a schmaltzy or undeserved redemptive arc, knowing that greedy, self-serving actions have consequences and leaving it at that. 

Showing a decent amount of respect for viewers' intelligence, Frankel (who also helmed 2011's tonally similar The Big Year) makes mainstream comedies better than most, utilizing a big screen sitcom  approach that's reminiscent of the late Garry Marshall. At one point a character sarcastically refers to Evart as "Mayberry," and that's not so far off. There's a down home quality to the material that he nails, basking in the inherent goodness of the characters and situation without crossing over into cornball territory. And with Cranston and Bening deftly handling material others of their stature would likely scoff at, the whole film's better off, paving the way for what ends up being a surprisingly pleasant and painless experience.