Infidelity, surgery and a bad bunch of raccoons — these are three very different problems, but somehow interwoven dilemmas in “The Details,” a quirky dark comedy that will play at the Hippodrome State Theatre starting Friday.
Tobey Maguire (best known for his role as Peter Parker in the “Spider-Man” films) leads the cast as doctor/family man Jeff Lang, whose life seems to fracture as the nighttime raid of wild raccoons tears apart his sodden lawn.
The more Jeff tries to take care of the infestation, the more his wife, Nealy (Elizabeth Banks), becomes aggravated, leaving Jeff unsatisfied both physically and mentally.
One thing leads to another, and soon Jeff’s fidelity is compromised not once, but twice.
Between his best friend (Kerry Washington) and his kooky neighbor (Laura Linney, in a hair-brained but enjoyable performance), his secrets start to add up.
The only saving grace is his friendship with Lincoln (Dennis Haysbert, widely recognized as the guy from the “Allstate” commercials), a confidant with health issues that prompt Jeff to perform his only act of good charity, giving his own kidney.
Despite Jeff’s good intentions, his lies add up, becoming more and more ridiculous and intertwined as the movie spans.
This premise may seem cliche, but Maguire’s inherent realness, grounded in exhausted expressions and perpetual lack of explanation for anything that happens to him makes the tired plot a bit more exciting.
Plus, the secrets themselves, from dead cats to secret pregnancies, are ridiculous yet completely intriguing.
The plot seems, at points, a bit too wacky, but it is never overwhelming to the point of boredom. Rather, it centers around the humor of the overall situation.
In fact, one of the final scenes between Banks and Maguire, in which everything is explained, Banks doubles over in disbelieving laughter — a mirror of my own reactions throughout the movie — as if to question such numerous circumstances at one time.
On the outside, the movie seems like the typical domesticated indie film, but the intrigue of the ensemble cast somehow makes it work.
I would never picture this cast of actors interacting with each other, but they all seem to inhabit the characters. Linney, in particular, shucked her more serious side and was easily the most unrecognizable as the neurotic flower child gone wrong, Lila.
“The Details” will be playing at the Hippodrome through Nov. 21. For more information and showtimes, visit www.thehipp.org.
