10 Underrated Films From The Last 5 Years That Flew Way Under The Radar

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 78%

Box Office: $4.7 million

This understated and underrated comedy from Duplass brothers Mark and Jay follows a 30-year-old stoner named Jeff who – as you have probably guessed from the title – still lives at home with his mother. Jeff (Jason Segal) is a man obsessed with the idea of his preordained destiny and embarks on a mission to follow it after receiving a wrong-number phone call from a man asking for Kevin, something he takes as a sign.

It’s not high-end storytelling, that’s for sure, but this is a simple and charming film that finds humour and heart in mundane, everyday life. Jeff, Who Lives At Home is the biggest and best example of how mumblecore movies are able to strike a chord outside of indie circles, with pioneers of the briefly popular sub-genre the Duplass brothers bringing their brand of improv-heavy, dialogue driven filmmaking to mainstream audiences to widespread critical acclaim.

Segal’s performance is very much reminiscent of his time on Judd Apatow’s Freaks and Geeks, with Jeff in many ways being an older, updated version of his character Nick. Ed Helms plays chalk to his cheese as big brother Pat, whose own story (a failing marriage to a cheating wife) brings a small sense of urgency to proceedings, while Susan Sarandon’s turn as bi-curious mother Sharon adds another layer to a film that has to be seen to be appreciated.