Jeff Who Lives at Home is a comedy about a 30-year-old man named Jeff (Jason Segal) who lives in the basement of his mother’s home. His mother Sharon, played by
Susan Sarandon, is fed up with her son’s lazy ways and demands that he makes his way into a life that breaks him away from
the permanent dent in her sofa. Jeff,
however, feels that everything happens for a reason and destiny will find its way to him, showing him his life’s meaning.  But in the meantime, he’s just waiting.
Jeff’s brother Pat (Ed Helms) has a completely opposite outlook on life. He is married and has a stable job that seems to support his lifestyle. However, Pat’s life isn’t as wonderful as it seems. On the inside, Pat is very insecure about himself.
He buys a Porsche regardless of the fact that his wife Linda (Judy Greer) protests it because the family doesn’t have the money needed in order to enjoy those sort of luxuries. Pat is seen trying to look his best by wearing suits often, even though it is unknown whether or not the nature of his profession requires him to do so.
He puts himself into a higher status to make up for his lacking of self-esteem.
Being unaware of Pat’s internal conflicts, Sharon soon feels that it is time Jeff got out of her basement and calls upon Pat to try and motivate his brother. Ironically, Pat believes his wife is having an affair and eventually, Jeff is brought into helping his brother with his marital
problems. The two of them set off to find out what is really going on, causing their relationship to evolve.
It is difficult to understand the love interest that Susan Sarandon has in this film. While it is always nice to see a single parent potentially get back into the dating game, its presence in this film almost had no point. There is already the main plot of Pat discovering the truth about his wife, there is the side plot of Jeff’s struggle as he tries to find his destiny. With so many different aspects to the film, it is easy for one to question just how many plots does one movie
really need?
The interaction Jeff and Pat have does bring them closer together throughout the film. At the beginning of the movie
it is clear that the two do not have the best relationship but as the storyline evolves an almost unspoken understanding
of each other’s lifestyle, that forms between the two siblings.
Based on the title of this movie one might think that it would focus on Jeff trying to find himself throughout
different trials in his life but that is just not the case. While Jeff does end up “finding himself” in a way through helping Pat, the
movie is more about the family uncovering the truth and Jeff helping those around him find the truth about themselves.