The mild-mannered Midwestern pair anchoring “Jerry & Marge Go Large” are sturdy, spry, and barely over fifty. But you wouldn’t know that from their dialogue, which is out to establish Jerry (Bryan Cranston) and Marge (Annette Bening) as geriatrics; “too old”, “golden years” and “missed my chance” are some of the key terms surrounding them.
This framing of the protagonists is essential for “Jerry & Marge”; the slack comedy uses the sheer improbability of its screenplay as a selling point. Older suckers taking a gamble? Do not be crazy! Audiences might roll their eyes, but the director, David Frankel, plays the hook: Another slow-mo shot of dad sneakers or mom jeans, and certain sequences can double as ads for Walmart clothing.
Loosely based on a true news story, the story begins with recently retired Jerry discovering an error in the arithmetic behind a lottery game. Taking advantage of the loophole, he begins to win big and even ropes from fellow townspeople as shareholders. The neighbors pool their winnings, hoping to recreate a local jazz fest, until a group of Harvard students inexplicably emerge as greedy adversaries.
In tone and semiotics, “Jerry & Marge” evokes conventional sitcoms. A schematic score accentuates moments of humor or sentiment, and every realization, narrative turn, or lesson learned is repeated aloud in concrete terms. While the film is lighthearted, its lack of subtlety — and lack of stakes, other than sweepstakes — makes for a totally bland bonanza.
Jerry & Marge Go Large
Rated PG-13 for windfalls and pratfalls. 1 hour 36 minutes. Look at Paramount+.
