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Widowed English professor Lawrence (Dennis Quaid) is too big of a miserable, pompous jackass to connect with his angst-y daughter (Ellen Page), moody son (Ashton Holmes) or adopted brother (Thomas Haden Church, flashing his behind twice as if the sight of it is hilarious). Perhaps the new woman in Lawrence’s life (Sarah Jessica Parker), a doctor who was one of his students a decade ago, can teach the old grouch about the importance of happiness and interpersonal connection.

Big question: Is this dramedy any more than the convoluted, Sundance-y material it sounds like?

Skip it: Good actors don’t have a chance with material this shallow, which has no human truths and, more obviously, no laughs. “Smart People” seems to think intelligence and social competence are mutually exclusive -- we get it, book smarts don’t equal street smarts -- which might explain “Beauty and the Geek” but not everyone else.

Catch it: To see that “I was drunk” is no excuse for trying to make out with your uncle, even if he was adopted. A lesson everyone should keep in mind.

Bottom line: “Juno” was overwritten, but at least it was honest and clever. Despite a strong cast, “Smart People” is neither smart nor an account of real people, just indie movie types and their completely uninteresting failure to communicate.

Bonus: Chuck (Church) tells his brother that if you spend $50 on a dinner date, it’s “grounds for intercourse.” You decide whether or not this is the best or worst dating advice you’ve ever heard.

What do you think of 'Smart People'? Email me: mpais@tribune.com

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