Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (November 17, 2022)
Given its title, one might assume 2022’s Jerry and Marge Go Large offers a porno flick. Nope – instead it offers a character tale of an older couple who obtain fortune late in life.
Jerry Selbee (Bryan Cranston) works at the Kellogg’s plant for more than 40 years and finds himself pushed toward retirement. Eager to remain relevant, Jerry seeks a way to stay intellectually active.
A whiz with numbers, Jerry finds a glitch in the state lottery that allows him to manipulate the system. Along with wife Marge (Annette Bening), they go on a winning spree as they attempt to use the funds to bail out their struggling small Michigan town.
I wouldn’t call this kind of “old folks who find a new lease on life” film to stand as a major genre, but we find films like this occasionally. Most follow a pretty standard semi-whimsical formula.
Should one expect Large to stand out from that crowd? Heck no, but that doesn’t doom it to failure.
At the very least, Large benefits from a fine cast. In addition to Bening and Cranston, we find folks such as Michael McKean, Rainn Wilson and Larry Wilmore, and they add value to the product.
In particular, Bening and Cranston demonstrate appealing chemistry. Unfortunately, Bening gets little to do in this Jerry-centric story, but she makes the most of her opportunities, such as an amusingly awkward seduction scene.
2006’s Devil Wears Prada probably acts as director David Frankel’s most notable work, though 2008’s Marley and Me did well, too. Overall, Frankel’s filmography seems pretty undistinguished, and Large fails to offer a major departure from that trend.
As noted, Large finds itself in the semi-worn “old folks kickin’ it” genre, and it does little to rise above those origins. It touches on all the clichés one might expect.
Still, Large manages to create a likable endeavor, even as trite as its tends to feel. Nothing about Large truly impresses but it becomes a watchable little tale.