This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.