VOD film review: Everything Must Go (Neighbour for Sale)
Review Overview
Cast
8Script
6Selina Pearson | On 07, Nov 2015
Director: Dan Rush
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, CJ Wallace, Laura Dern
Certificate: 15
Watch Everything Must Go online in the UK: TalkTalk TV / Apple TV (iTunes) / Prime Video (Buy/Rent) / Google Play
Will Ferrell goes from silly to serious in Everything Must Go – retitled on Netflix UK as “Neighbour for Sale”. He plays recovering alcoholic Nick Halsey, who has just lost his job and found all his worldly possessions lying on his front lawn. To top it off, he’s got a note from his wife that says she’s leaving him. Luckily, in among his armoury he has a big comfy chair, a rotisserie cooker and a George Foreman grill. And beer. Lots of beer.
Completely off the wagon and living in front of his house, the police tell Nick that the only way he can legally leave all his crap on his lawn is to have a yard sale. He has five days. During that time, Nick starts to sober up (read: he runs out of money), teaches a kid (Wallace) to play baseball, befriends new neighbour Samantha (Hall) and tracks down old schoolmate Delilah (Dern). As he gradually pulls himself together, the cathartic purge of his possessions allows him to take control of his life.
Dan Rush’s bittersweet comedy-drama feels very understated, not least because Will Ferrell plays his role completely straight; restraining his improv impulses, you really do feel Nick’s frustration, even though his redeeming features don’t emerge until late on in the film. The other characters are real and flawed too – particular Rebecca Hall’s lonely housewife. Sadly, things sometimes feel a little too understated, leaving Rush’s story coasting along without much of a pulse. Still, Everything Must Go is a testament to the first-time director’s abilities: with a solid cast and simple script, he’s produced a very strong debut.
Everything Must Go is available to watch online on Amazon Prime Video as part of a Prime membership or a £5.99 monthly subscription.