Sundance 2016 – The Fundamentals of Caring

Sometimes when watching a movie, you just want to have fun.  You don’t always need heavy drama or a great twist, you just want to laugh and have an enjoyable experience.  The Fundamentals of Caring is one of the most enjoyable screenings I have had at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.  It is a sweet, funny, quotable road movie with a ton of heart.

Paul Rudd stars as Ben, a man dealing with incredible loss who enrolls in a caregiving class.  He is hired by Elsa (Jennifer Ehle) to care for her son Trevor (Craig Roberts), a teenager confined to a wheelchair because he has a severe form of muscular dystrophy.  The two end up going on road trip to see America’s most obscure landmarks, like the worlds deepest pit, and along the way, form an unlikely bond that changes their lives.

What’s best about this movie is that it never gets too heavy.  There are scenes of drama, as we see Ben and Trevor go at it over personal issues both of them are dealing with.  But these scenes never get too intense or sad.  Writer/director Rob Burnett, known mostly for his work on television, keeps this a pure comedy.  In a film about life, death, friendship, love, and handicaps, it could have strayed toward sappy.  But instead, we are smiling from ear to ear the entire film.

Craig Roberts is hilarious as Trevor.  Though in a wheelchair and with a disease that will drastically shorten his life, Trevor is still a quick witted, snarky kid with as positive an attitude on life has he can have.  Rudd mixes his great comedic timing and dramatic skills effortlessly to give one his most layered, and better performances.  And Selena Gomez continues to impress as the foul mouthed hitcher the boys pick up on their trip.

The Fundamentals of Caring is a blast.  It’s a great road trip movie will make your face hurt from laughing.  With its light attitude, familiar but fresh story, and terrific cast, mark this film as one of the best of this year’s festival.

MY RATING – 3/4

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Image courtesy of sundance.com.