It takes a lot to make me not like a guy who writes movie reviews for a living and loves professional wrestling, but "Ben's at Home" succeeded.
Well, hold on. Let me take that back. I didn't not like Ben. I just didn't agree with him and, really, he was kind of acting like a jerk much of the movie.
But let me back up a little more: Ben (Dan Abramovici) is a newly single man about town. He just broke up with his unfaithful girlfriend and decides that life would just be easier if he just never left the house. So he decides to stay home. All the time.
Luckily for him, he writes Internet movie reviews (meaning he can work from home), and he can order in groceries or anything else he may need...including a date.
Great plan, right? Well, turns out his best friend is getting married, which throws a bit of a wrench into the works. And his other buddy is getting a little antsy about his little plan. And then there's the cute grocery delivery girl who starts to take an interest in him.
It's an intriguing premise and, to be sure, has the potential to say a lot about the Internet generation and our online culture. Ben isn't emotionally compromised in any way and he isn't traumatized; he's just doing an experiment that he considers more important than his friend's wedding.
The leads have good chemistry together, and they generally are entertaining when they aren't discussing the main narrative. Taken as individual moments, several scenes display a pronounced wit and are enjoyable.
But the protagonist's poor behavior at key moments leads to a cardinal sin — acting more like a movie character than a real person.
But there is a lot to like about "Ben." The characters are generally likable and enjoyable to be around, and the film overall has a pleasant, breezy air. When he's not trapped in the plot, "Ben" is positively pleasant.