Nick Halsey loses his job. He goes home to find that his wife has thrown all of his stuff on the lawn, changed the locks and security codes. His company car gets repossessed. His wife puts a hold on their joint account - rendering his credit and debit cards useless – and cuts his cellphone. He has no place to go, no money, and no way to move his possessions, which he has to do within five days according to city law or go to jail. You could say he's having a bad day. And this is where we find ourselves in Everything Must Go.
It's a great set up. He's down. He's got nothing. He's faced with the necessity to make decisions about his life and himself. He's a recovering alcoholic who has lapsed, he's never without a beer. He was let go from his job because they can get someone younger and cheaper, and, of course, his history of needing time off for treatment and counseling probably didn't help matters. And while he has lapsed, his wife, who apparently is also a recovering alcoholic, hasn't.
In order to gain the five days to keep his stuff on the lawn, he has to call it a yard sale. He hires a local kid, Kenny, whose mother is a nurse taking care of an elderly woman nearby leaving him by himself most of the time, to make signs and watch his stuff. And at first Nick isn't interested in actually selling his stuff, as he hopes to work things out with his wife before the five days are up. Nick and Kenny become friends, with Nick teaching Kenny about sales. Nick also befriends Samantha, the pregnant woman who has just moved in across the street. She has relocated there for her husband's job, he has not yet joined her there.
I have to praise Will Ferrell's performance as Nick. Where Ferrell normally plays these sort of broad, over-the-top characters, here he plays the character with an honest subtlety. He never tries to draw attention to the character or his plight. Think how easy it'd be to play it as 'hey everybody, look, I'm living on my lawn!' Especially for someone like Will Ferrell. He also doesn't play him as a total schlub loser who just gives up. He's a person who doesn't know what to do – hope things work out or just let go?
Where I think the movie falters is the self-realizations just don't seem to read. Nick watches old home movies and sees his dad, always with a beer in hand, just like him. Throughout the movie he suggests that he didn't like his father and that he was a drunk. So you'd think that maybe he'd watch these movies, see this, and, at least, start looking at himself. But he doesn't. The next morning, he's got the beer in hand just like his old man. And this is a movie about self-exploration and realization, so when moments like this pass and nothing happens....it's a missed opportunity. And at the end when he finally drinks coffee instead of beer and decides to sell everything, clean up and let go it lacks the clear, definable moment where he decides to do that. He finds out his wife has been staying with his AA sponsor and... that's it. It's a let down because you're connected with the character but miss out on this important moment.
I also felt that the outcome of Samantha's relationship with her husband was a bit confusing. Nick asks why he hasn't joined her yet and suggests that he's stayed behind because he doesn't want to be a father, and as a successful young businessman he is probably seeing someone behind her back. She tells Nick that she's called him and told him she's leaving him. He finally shows up the next day but she appears to greet him warmly, not like someone who has decided their relationship is through. It left me going 'wait? What?'
The movie is enjoyable and funny. Yes, funny. Not hilarious. Don't expect to bust a gut laughing. But there are laughs. Will Ferrell gives a performance that makes you wish he did more films like this. And I do like the relationship between Nick and Kenny, it's endearing. A good movie.
3 out of 5
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