The Fundamentals of Caring is not a great movie, but it’s not bad either. It’s a typical lower-budget, rough-around-the-edges, slightly stiff coming-of-age film about loss, love and redemption. While not particularly cinematic, the overall look is professional, concise and utilitarian. The music is neither distracting nor memorable. The story, based on the novel by Jonathan Evison, is thoughtful and relatable, if not altogether compelling at times. It’s the kind of film one turns on when taking a sick day from work to lie on the couch and trawl Netflix.
The story follows Ben (Paul Rudd), a man in the midst of a divorce and hurting from the loss of a child, as he becomes a caregiver for Trevor (Craig Roberts, Submarine), a sarcastic British 18-year-old with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Trevor is a prankster who demands constant attention and is utterly bound by his routine, yet unhappy with his place in the world. Against the better judgment of Trevor’s mother, Elsa (Jennifer Ehle), Ben takes Trevor on a road trip around the Pacific Northwest, following Trevor’s map of America’s “Lamest Roadside Attractions,” including “The World’s Deepest Pit.” Along the way, the two travelers pick up a runaway named Dot (Selena Gomez) and an expectant mother, Peaches (Megan Ferguson).
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