Hi, I’m Kevin and I am a Netflix hoarder.
Before Netflix was all about streaming, I used to sit and carefully add and curate my parents Netflix queue. My family knew I had been in the queue when there was two Monty Python Movies and disc three of Freaks and Geeks (remember when it took forever to watch TV’s disc by disc). This habit stuck with me, but the little Netflix envelopes have ceased. So now I’m stuck with a list full of movies full of unlimited possibility of cool and no system of checks and balances that makes me watch them. WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN NETFLIX LIST?
So here’s my rules.
- Watch One Item From My List Weekly
B. Rate Item
$. Delete Item From My List.
..Repeat ‘till Finished.
Just a simple 1,B,$, ..
So for the inaugural week I picked the plucky film, The Fundamentals of Caring. Netflix has been putting the big screenshots of Paul Rudd and the Submarine kid (which omg the best movie, watch that one before this. It’s not a sequel, but spoiler alert it’s much better) and it looked like a cry-er.
Source: The Fundamentals of Caring // Netflix
Netflix describes it like this: “In this inspirational buddy comedy, a young shut-in and his caregiver take a road trip in search of landmarks,but end up finding hope and friendship.”
I read that in the inspirational-live- action- Disney- movie- trailer- on- the- VHS- to- Aladdin voice. Nostalgic and wanting to see Selena Gomez act, I pressed play. Here’s how it plays out.
It opens with a laughing baby, that I totally thought was Trevor (the one that Paul Rudd is care giving for) as a child. But it isn’t, BUT THE WRITERS TOTALLY WANTED YOU TO THINK THAT CAUSE BEN IS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER CHILD FIGURE IN HIS LIFE. So Ben (Paul Rudd) is totally not having it with his ex who wants him to sign the divorce papers. He also has no money so he signs up for this caregiving certification class. The teacher lays some beautiful truth bombs that should all become desktop wallpapers.
“I cannot take care of another unless I take care of my self first.”
“My needs are equal to the needs of the person to whom I am giving care.”
“All I can do is try my best to maintain a positive attitude.”
“ALOHA:Ask Listen Observe Help Ask Again. Nothing less nothing more.”
The last one is the one rule he breaks. He’s a totally shitty caregiver. Trevor is a totally sassy, asshole type that is also playful about his situation.
Source: The Fundamentals of Caring // Netflix
So eventually they become friends and Ben takes him on a road trip to see what he’s always wanted to see. Selena Gomez. Kidding. It’s the deepest hole in the world, where they eventually meet Selena Gomez. Right.
Source: The Fundamentals of Caring // Netflix
So it’s a buddy road trip, where they make friends with a pregnant woman, a runaway (Selena Gomez) and eventually two dads: a shitty one (Trevors) and a protective confused trying hard one (Selena Gomez’s (no I won’t learn her characters name)). So Trevor gets a date with Selena, the pregnant woman has her baby, and Selena reconciles with her dad. Ben and Trevor become best friends, and Ben learns he can’t take care of another unless he takes care of himself. Oh did I forget to mention, the baby at the begninnon of the movie is his kid, who, while Ben’s back was turned for a minute
WAS RUN OVER BY A CAR.
So dark. Which isn’t the issue (and reason I give this three stars). The issue is that it was used as this weird learning tool, in this weird learning lesson movie.
Ok so it’s sweet. It’s an indie film with a lot of heart. Like a lot of heart. I think everyone should watch it just for Craig Robinson and Pau Rudd’s chemistry. If you just finished Gossip Girl and want something as cheesy, but with more of a moral center, this is for you.
NEXT WEEK: The Little Prince
Source: The Fundamentals of Caring // Netflix
Article Submitted by Kevin Cucolo
