Lack of Emotional Connection
Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) is an English professor at Carnegie Mellon University.  His aura of superiority keeps colleagues at a distance, squashing any possibility of relationships other than professional.  He customarily parks his car in the faculty lot so that it occupies two spots.  He loves his subject, but never really connects with his students, whose names and faces he seldom remembers.<br /> Wetherhold's wife has passed away.  His son, James (Ashton Holmes), although a student at Carnegie Mellon, lives in a dorm and keeps his distance, while his daughter, Vanessa (Ellen Page), still in high school, takes it upon herself to keep the home fires burning.  She appears to be very much her dad's girl:  clever, casting a wide swath of attitude, and often supercilious.  Yet she hopes to be accepted to Stanford University, on the opposite side of the country.<br /> In a fit of ill temper, Wetherhold knocks himself unconscious and lands in the hospital, where ER physician Janet Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker) happens to be a former student of his.  Because he's diagnosed as having had a minor seizure, Dr. Hartigan tells Wetherhold he cannot legally drive.  Reluctantly, the professor asks visiting adopted brother Chuck (Thomas Haden Church) to stick around, move in temporarily, and serve as his driver.<br /> We've seen self-important academics on screen before in such films as "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," "The Paper Chase," and "The Squid and the Whale."  In "Smart People," Quaid's Wetherhold is uptight, socially awkward, and condescending toward those he openly regards as his intellectual inferiors.  Yet we continue to care about him, understanding that the loss of his wife may have taken more of a toll than Wetherhold will acknowledge and hoping he will loosen up and become more of a mensch.<br /> Quaid holds the film together with a solid, carefully textured performance -- one of his best.  There is a sadness he carries with him like a knapsack filled with rocks, and he seldom smiles.  His rumpled hair, scruffy beard, and deeply lined face give him the appearance of a guy who has abandoned even simple attempts to make himself look presentable.  This is superior character acting, revealing a depth of emotion despite a facade of officiousness.  Not an easy trick to pull off.<br /> Church is a welcome joy in "Smart People," as he amusingly contrasts with his older brother.  Though he is in many ways immature and irresponsible, Chuck has basic smarts that are especially sharp when it comes to human relationships.  It's Chuck who navigates an unusual relationship with Vanessa, stepping back to become her uncle rather than confidante when a hint of romance is about to ignite.  Chuck also eggs Lawrence on to pursue a relationship with Dr. Janet.  Church's Chuck has many elements of his sidekick to Paul Giamatti in "Sideways," but the role is less showy, more subdued, and ultimately very effective.<br /> Parker's Dr. Hartigan seems a major plot manipulation.  As Wetherhold's student, she had a crush on him.  Now, as his doctor, we're meant to accept that she still feels a glow toward him.  She is more than patient with his incredible ineptness on a date, and keeps giving him second chances to redeem himself and shine in her eyes.  This is more the stuff of a "Lifetime" made-for-TV movie than reality.<br /> Ellen Page's Vanessa is really a variation of her title character in "Juno."  She's bright, mature, at a crossroads in her life, and feels she is losing control of her destiny.  Both Juno and Vanessa are casual optimists until they face a crisis.  For Vanessa, it is Dr. Hartigan, whom she regards as a threat to her role as unofficial caretaker of her dad's well being.<br /> Rated R, "Smart People" is a gentle film that balances personal drama with comedy.  Director Noam Murro has transformed Mark Poirier's screenplay into a look at a dysfunctional family that never delves into terribly dark corners.  All the characters evolve, perhaps not in 180-degree fashion, but mostly for the better.
The movie title "Smart People," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.4 from 199 reviewers. 
It features elements such as [], and it is priced at $7.09.

This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Studio Specials, Miramax Home Entertainment and All Titles. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Genre": "Comedy", "Format": "Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen", "Contributor": "Noam Murro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Camille Mana, Dennis Quaid, Robert Haley, Don Wadsworth, Patrick Sebes, Christine Lahti, David Denman, Ashton Holmes, Kevin James Doyle, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church, Mark PoirierNoam Murro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Camille Mana, Dennis Quaid, Robert Haley, Don Wadsworth, Patrick Sebes, Christine Lahti, David Denman, Ashton Holmes, Kevin James Doyle, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Poirier  See more", "Language": "Unqualified", "Runtime": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "Aspect Ratio": "2.35:1", "Is Discontinued By Manufacturer": "No", "MPAA rating": "R (Restricted)", "Product Dimensions": "0.57 x 5.47 x 7.45 inches; 2.72 Ounces", "Director": "Noam Murro", "Media Format": "Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen", "Run time": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "Release date": "August 12, 2008", "Actors": "Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes", "Subtitles": "French, Spanish", "Studio": "Miramax", "Writers": "Mark Poirier", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : SMART PEOPLE.