Everything Must Go

When an alcoholic relapses, causing him to lose his wife and his job, he holds a yard sale on his front lawn in an attempt to start over. A new neighbour might be the key to his return to form.

Indie flicks can sometimes overdo it on the emotional side of things, which would have spelt disaster for this picture, particularly given the themes that are being dealt with. Everything Must Go avoids this pitfall and manages to be sweetly tragic without becoming saccharine or unduly sentimental. Much of that success is down to its star. 

Will Ferrell is not a name often associated with any degree of subtlety, but with this film, he again shows he is capable of more than just madcap comedy. As many will be aware, this wasn't Ferrell's first foray into dramatic acting. His appearance in 2006's solid outing Stranger than Fiction being a prime example of what he can achieve outside of the style he is best known for. The plot here provides a lot for him to work with and he doesn't disappoint.

The focal point of the movie is Ferrell's Nick, a relapsed alcoholic struggling to come to terms with the impending break-up of his marriage and losing his job, both in the same day. If this doesn't sound like cheery subject matter, it's because it's not. There's a weighty sense of sadness that hangs over the initial scenes of the film, but this is tempered well by Ferrell's subtle injections of humour. The balance between the two is carefully maintained and the tone that is struck is pitch perfect.

As the movie progresses, the role becomes ever richer, with both his denial of what he has become and the subsequent drive to better himself coming to the fore. The yard sale shifts from being a technicality to avoid arrest to a metaphor for his need to 'let go' and move on with his life. There's a strong correlation between the two, which really works in the film's favour. His reticence to part with any of his possessions mirrors the desire to patch things up with his wife, though it's clear that this is highly unlikely to happen. It's imperative that the character be likable in light of the scenario, and it's no accident that he is. So pathetic is his downward spiral that you can't help but feel for him, willing him to get his life back on track.

The supporting cast bring another dimension to proceedings, Rebecca Hall and Christopher Jordan Wallace playing the biggest parts. Both are important components in Nick's recovery and there are some interesting dynamics at play in both instances. Their performances complement the tone well and their interactions with Nick make for some of the finest scenes in the movie.

The Verdict:

7/10
A sweetly tragic film that avoids undue sentimentality. Ferrell shows himself to be more than capable of drama, the strong supporting cast assisting him ably in bringing the character to life.