Home Again (2017 film)

Home Again

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2017
Founder	Hallie Meyers-Shyer (director and writer)
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Romantic comedy film

Home Again is a 2017 American romantic comedy film marking the directorial debut of Hallie Meyers-Shyer, who also penned the screenplay. The cast includes Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen, and Candice Bergen. The narrative centers on a 40-year-old single mother who invites three young filmmakers to reside in her Los Angeles residence. Distributed by Open Road Films on September 8, 2017, the movie earned $37 million globally and garnered a range of critical responses.

Plot

Alice Kinney, the daughter of the late filmmaker John Kinney, is a recently separated mother raising two daughters while living in her father's Los Angeles home and starting an interior design venture. She encounters Harry, George, and Teddy—three filmmakers in their late twenties looking for producers after their project received favorable attention at a festival. Drawn by Alice's family background and generosity, they move into her guesthouse.

As the filmmakers become part of Alice’s daily life, Harry develops a romantic connection with her, Teddy assists with her business website, and George encourages Alice's daughter Isabel’s writing pursuits. They present their film project to director Justin Miller, who expresses interest despite his experience mainly in horror films. Although Alice and Harry’s relationship deepens, conflicting schedules create tension between them.

Alice struggles with a prospective client who undervalues her design concepts. Her estranged husband Austen arrives, uneasy about the presence of the three men in their home. Friction escalates when Harry feels sidelined by his partners’ solo projects and decides to leave. After a dispute between Teddy and Austen, Alice opts to pursue an official divorce and asks the filmmakers to vacate her property. The trio subsequently reconciles and secures their own apartment.

Later, Alice reaffirms her connection with the filmmakers. At Isabel’s school play, they prioritize supporting her over attending a crucial meeting with an investor, demonstrating their dedication to both family and creative ambitions. Together they celebrate Isabel’s achievement, highlighting their unique yet nurturing household dynamic.

Cast

• Reese Witherspoon as Alice Kinney, a recently separated woman launching an interior design firm
• Nat Wolff as Teddy Dorsey, an aspiring filmmaker and lead actor in the group's film
• Jon Rudnitsky as George Appleton, the screenwriter who connects with Isabel
• Pico Alexander as Harry Dorsey, director of the trio's short film and Alice’s romantic interest
• Lake Bell as Zoey Bell, a client of Alice’s interior design business
• Reid Scott as Justin Miller, a director interested in developing the trio's short film into a feature
• Dolly Wells as Tracy, Alice’s closest friend
• Lola Flanery as Isabel Blume-Kinney, Alice’s older daughter dealing with school-related anxiety
• Eden Grace Redfield as Rosie Blume-Kinney, Alice’s younger daughter
• P.J. Byrne as Paul, an agency representative
• Josh Stamberg as Warren, a producer
• Michael Sheen as Austen Blume, Alice’s estranged husband and music producer
• Candice Bergen as Lillian Stewart, Alice’s mother and former actress

Production

In May 2016, Rose Byrne was originally selected for the lead role in the project written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, with Nancy Meyers and Erika Olde serving as producers. However, by August 2016, Reese Witherspoon had taken over the principal part. The ensemble grew in October 2016 with the addition of Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen, and Reid Scott. Further casting in November 2016 brought on board Jon Rudnitsky, Lake Bell, Nat Wolff, and Pico Alexander.

Filming

The main shooting phase commenced in October 2016 in Los Angeles and wrapped up on December 7, 2016.

Release

In September 2016, distribution rights were secured by Open Road Films. The movie premiered across the United States on September 8, 2017.

Home media

Home Again became available on Digital HD starting November 21, 2017, followed by DVD and Blu-ray releases through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on December 12, 2017.

Box office

By May 2018, Home Again had accumulated $27 million domestically in the United States and Canada, with an additional $10.3 million earned internationally. This brought its total global earnings to $37.3 million against a production budget of $12 million.

Competing with It during its opening weekend across 2,940 theaters, the film was forecasted to generate between $10 million and $12 million. It garnered $300,000 from Thursday night previews and $3.1 million on its initial day, ultimately debuting with $8.6 million to secure second place behind It, which achieved $123.4 million. In its sophomore weekend, earnings declined by 38% to $5.3 million, placing fourth behind It, American Assassin, and Mother!.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 33% approval rating based on 138 critiques, averaging a score of 4.8/10. The site’s summary notes that Home Again assembles a skilled group of romantic comedy veterans both in front of and behind the camera—yet all have delivered stronger work in the past. According to Metacritic, it has a weighted average of 41 out of 100 from 29 reviewers, reflecting "mixed or average" opinions. Audience feedback via CinemaScore resulted in a "B" grade.

Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter characterized the film as "a female-led comedy so thoroughly sterilized that it lacks any distinct character." Peter Travers from Rolling Stone gave it 1.5 out of 4 stars, commenting that "Witherspoon is an authentic dynamo of a star, and it takes considerable effort to dampen her vibrant energy beneath such dullness." Ed Potton at The Times rated it 2 out of 5 stars, describing it as a "forgettable and uninspired film," despite Witherspoon’s appealing presence.

More favorable critiques came from Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times, who awarded it 3 out of 4 stars and called it "a remarkably pleasant refuge," emphasizing Hallie Meyers-Shyer’s unique perspective. Meanwhile, The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, labeling it "very silly but quite watchable," catering well to viewers open to its breezy nature.