‘Everything Must Go’ shows Will Ferrell’s acting chops

It comes as no surprise that Dan Rush’s Everything Must Go is based on a short story by Raymond Carver. This simple film, starring Will Ferrell in a touching performance, features few characters, an uncomplicated plot and a gradual, linear style that makes it easily digestible. Some may say the film is too simple, a mere exercise in filming a few conversations and calling it a movie. However, Everything Must Go feels much more real, almost like life. It’s not groundbreaking, but it is satisfying.

Ferrell plays Nick Halsey, a man having a bummer of a day. He gets fired from work because of a questionable incident with a co-worker. His wife leaves him and throws all of his belongings on the front lawn of their house. He continues to struggle with his alcoholism and lets beer can after beer can get the better of him.

Rather than moving into a hotel and starting his life over, Nick decides to live on his front lawn with his reclining chair, his record player and the rest of the items he collected throughout his life. Keeping him company is Frank (Michael Peña), his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor; Samantha (Rebecca Hall), his new neighbor across the street; and Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace), a young kid with too much time on his hands.

Through a series of scenes, Nick deconstructs his existence and tries to understand how he came to this point. He unsuccessfully tries to rekindle a relationship with his wife and continues to drink, drink, drink. In Kenny, he finds the son he never had. In Frank, he finds the friend he so desperately needs. In Samantha, he finds a relationship that might have worked 10 years earlier.

The movie is very much a vehicle for Ferrell. The plot surrounds his character almost solely, and it’s Nick’s arc that we care the most about. In this sense, Ferrell excels. Known mostly for his comedic roles, the actor adds a nice “everyman” quality to his performance. It reminded me of an old Frank Capra film starring James Stewart.

Rush’s screenplay is simple, but effective. There are many quiet scenes that resonate. My favorite sequence involved Nick visiting an old high school flame (played by Laura Dern). The adult conversation that these two characters have is perfectly written and acted. It’s a combination of uneasiness and sorrow, and watching Ferrell and Dern for these few minutes is alone worth the price of admission.

The scenes with Samantha, the neighbor, are less successful. There is never an evident connection between these two characters and rather than progressing the plot, it seems to be just in the way.

Everything Must Go is a good film with glimmers of greatness. For a summer blockbuster season where CGI is key, it’s nice to have a small movie, even one that lacks much ambition.

• Everything Must Go

• 2011

• Directed by Dan Rush

• Written by Rush, based on a short story by Raymond Carver

• Starring Will Ferrell, Laura Dern, Michael Peña, Rebecca Hall and Christopher Jordan Wallace

• Running time: 97 minutes

• Rated R for language and some sexual content

• Bubble score: 3 out of 4

• Click here to purchase Everything Must Go on DVD.