An energetic and free-spirited young man convinces his long-time friend, who’s settled into domestic life, to go on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

Review

Newly-minted triple threat Michael Angarano (who co-wrote, directed and stars) brings us the latest in a long tradition of buddy road comedies. This one is set around two distanced friends (Angarano and an excellent Michael Cera) who take a spur-of-the-moment trip from LA to Sacramento to bury Angarano’s father’s ashes (which is one of the many misnomers in the film).

What follows is a series of misadventures built around lies, denial, and the inability to be open. There’s nothing particularly special about the direction, but the writing (co-written with Christopher Nicholas Smith) is poignant, sweet and, at times, pretty funny. Kristen Stewart and Maya Erskine (Angarano’s real-life wife) give some extra balance with their all-too-infrequent scenes and mostly underwritten characters, but the show belongs to Angarano and Cera, who both acquit themselves wonderfully.

It’s a simple story, nothing more than a cute movie, but a fun one nonetheless.

Jonathan’s grade – B-