Lady of the Manor (movie 2021) a fart joke of a writing/directing debut for Long brothers

​   There are so many actors turning to directing and sometimes writing/directing these days, that it’s never a surprise anymore, more like a matter of time. This time, it’s the preternaturally youthful looking Justin Long, who apparently wanted a project to do with his brother and did this – a sort of inane comedy that he’s done plenty of in his career.
    Not quite stupid enough to be offensive, Lady of The Manor is more on a silly side of things. it’s dangerously close to stupid, mind you, but mostly steers clear of it. This is in no small way due to the acting talent Long assembled and a (very) occasional situational joke that actually lands.
     The plot involves the ever-excellent Melanie Lynskey as one of those clichéd lovable losers, except that the Long brothers take it too far on the loser aspect and it’s only Lynskey’s considerable charm that managed to balance out the act. Otherwise, what you have is a ditzy stoned slob with no apparent redeeming qualities.
     This ditzy stoned slob manages to stumble into a live-in tour guide situation for a historical mansion the lady of which is still very much present, if in spirit only. Judy Greer seems to have fun with her southern belle role and accent as she tries to reform her ‘impersonator’ as she refers to her into a lady. It’s an ambitious goal, certainly.
       Lynskey’s character gives in to ladyfying slowly and reluctantly. She’s much more enthusiastic about the prospect of hooking up with the playboy scion of the manor’s family, the over-tanned Tanner, played with a sleazy aplomb by the boyishly handsome ex  Mr. Reese Witherspoon. When in fact, she should be hooking up with Long’s character, because he’s the proverbial last-finishing nice guy.
        Long’s interest in her is inexplicable, unless it is a case of extreme opposites attracting, but there you have it, can’t have a rom-com without it.
        Eventually, some fart jokes later, it all works out, because those movies always do. And so, there you have it. Watchable, kinda sorta decent, mildly entertaining, nothing special, and perfectly forgettable. Kinda like Justin Long’s career if you think about, but that’s a mean thought, don’t think that thought. Long’s amusing in his own right and has a great voice. And he can write a pretty good fart joke or two.