The Fundamentals of Caring… but not too much
Directed by Rob Burnett, The Fundamentals of Caring is a heartfelt drama-comedy that will make you unsure if you should cry, laugh, or both. After a tragic accident resulting in the death of him son, Ben (Paul Rudd) enrolls in a care-giving class which would lead him to an unexpected adventure and a needed self-redemption. When Ben receives a caregiving job for Trevor, an 18 year old with muscular dystrophy and a bizarre sense of humor, he takes it as an opportunity to learn and cope from his past mistakes, while taking into consideration Trevor's mother, Elsa's warnings to not get too attached to Trevor. She says that he has never taken a huge liking for any of his past care-givers and this might only be for a short time. After starting the job, Ben soon learns about Trevor’s interest in road side attractions, specifically the world’s biggest pit. Ben poses a road trip to visit these sights to get Trevor (who has only ever been an hour away from home) out of his repetitive daily routine. After convincing his worry-some mother and a lot of planning, the two finally set off. Along the way, they met some people who are in need of rides; Dot (Selena Gomez) who running away to Salt Lake City and Peaches (Meghan Ferguson) a 9 month pregnant lady whos car broke down. During their drive, Trevor makes Ben stop to see his father (who left after he was diagnosed) to confront him about the letters he has been sending him. When they arrive Trevor is disappointed to learn that it had been his mother sending the letters all along. When they finally reach the pit Trevor, Dot, and Peaches start the walk down, Ben stays back to confront the man in a car following them. To his surprise, it is Dot’s father watching over her while she runs away. Their conversation is interrupted by panic yelling and calls for help. Thinking something bad happened to Trevor, Ben soon realizes that it was Peaches going into labor. Ben successfully helps deliver the baby and Dot leaves with her father. Trevor and Ben finally make it home, and a new friendship is started.
Paul Rudd’s performance in this film stands out from his other works. In The Fundamentals of Caring, he takes on a more serious role than his past movie roles such as the comedies Anchorman and Night at the Museum. This movie also differs from the many superhero themed movies he took part of. This film is less action-packed and more for the dramatics. Unusual to most of his film roles; Rudd gives a believable and well executed portrayal of Ben while still cracking a few good jokes throughout.
The Fundamentals of Caring shares many aspects of other movies in the drama genre. The tragic background story of the main character (Ben), and the new experience to find redemption give similarities to the movie, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape; a film about a young man struggling between taking care of his overweight mother who can’t leave the house and a mentally disabled younger brother. The spontaneous road trip is another aspect of this movie that makes it similar to other dramas like, Little Miss Sunshine. Although this film is a stereotypical drama film, the sharp comedy and the well performed acting makes up for it.
What really puts this movie together is the unique sense of humor between Trevor and Ben. Many jokes about were made about Ben’s duties as Trevor’s caregiver, mainly about wiping his ass. This bond between the two helps portray the hidden message in the film about what a father and son relationship really is while disregarding Elsa’s warnings. What I found to be the weakest element of the film is the side characters, Dot and Peaches. Although they are good actors, the personalities of these characters are quite basic when compared to the personalities of Trevor and Ben. The side characters are predictable and add nothing to the film besides a longer plot. Personally, I think the film could have been better without the focus on minor roles and more so towards the two main characters. Overall, The Fundamentals of Caring is an easy watch movie that will leave you shocked by the humor but unsurprised by the plot.
