Love Liza

There’re only so many times you can chuckle at a guy who’s wife killed herself, so we have to hand it to Love Liza for causing a couple of belly laughs; otherwise, watching Wilson Joel (Philip Seymour Hoffman) try to move on with his life by huffing gasoline and flying remote control planes is just not interesting. Joel teters on the brink of sanity, wondering whether he should open the suicide note his wife left him—all the while fighting off his mother-in-law’s (Kathy Bates) urges to get it over with. The entertainment comes in streaks from Hoffman’s maniacal mannerisms and his strange friendship with fellow remote control enthusiast, Denny (Jack Kehler). Reflection and regret fill in the remainder of Liza—funny at times, just not very fun.