Home Again is a sweet, smart coming-of-middle-age film

Sprinkled with a healthy dose of life lessons about love, family and forgiveness, Home Again is a sparky rom-com with a lot of heart.

America’s sweetheart Reese Witherspoon returns to the big screen as Alice Kinney, a interior decorator who has recently separated from her husband (Michael Sheen). On a whim, she moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles accompanied by her two young daughters in an attempt to start over after the breakup. But on the night of her 40th birthday, Alice stumbles upon Harry (Pico Alexander), George (John Rudnitsky) and Teddy (Nat Wolff), three young filmmakers. Alice agrees to let the boys move into her guest house temporarily, but the arrangement takes an unexpected turn when she begins an affair with Harry and her ex-husband arrives, luggage in hand.

Home Again plays on ideas of love and relationships; Alice and Harry’s affair blossoms while George and Teddy play nanny to her children. The fling between the pair is warming and intriguing, but there’s much made of the large age gap between them which ends up being part of the reason why they break things off. The real shame is that this relationship isn’t explored further as a refreshing change from the standard older man/younger woman pairing that Hollywood seems to favour. Perhaps unknowingly, the film sparks a much-needed conversation about female empowerment and relationships.

Home Again director Hallie Meyers-Shyer, the daughter of Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated, Something’s Gotta Give), seemingly takes inspiration from her mother’s filmic style, with this classy, fun film set in the picturesque Hollywood Hills. It’s the perfect foundation for a dysfunctional upper-class family story to unfold.

Home Again is a light-hearted romantic comedy with some serious undertones, and seems determined to serve as a constant reminder that life is full of surprises.

Home Again is on general release now.