Everything Must Go (2011)

75% of critics liked it
(126 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(16,014 ratings)

Adapted and directed by Dan Rush, and based on a short story by Raymond Carver, Everything Must Go tells the story of Nick (Will Ferrell) a career salesman whose days of being on top are long gone. The same day Nick gets fired, for falling off the wagon one last time, he returns home to discover his… More Adapted and directed by Dan Rush, and based on a short story by Raymond Carver, Everything Must Go tells the story of Nick (Will Ferrell) a career salesman whose days of being on top are long gone. The same day Nick gets fired, for falling off the wagon one last time, he returns home to discover his wife has left him, changed the locks on their suburban home and dumped all his possessions out on the front yard. Faced with his life imploding, Nick puts it all on the line - or more properly, on the lawn - reluctantly holding a yard sale that becomes a unique strategy for survival. -- (C) Roadside Attractions

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Dan Rush
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: May 13, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Sep 6, 2011
Studio: Roadside Attractions

Critic Reviews

James Berardinelli, ReelViews
I was not waiting for a punch line. I was not primed to laugh. I accepted Ferrell as Nick and, because of that, I was able to enjoy Everything Must Go on its own terms.
Dana Stevens, Slate
This isn't Ferrell's first dramatic role; he played seriocomic leading men in Stranger Than Fiction and Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda. But it's the first one that provides a glimpse at his possible future as a Bill Murray-style character actor.
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
Rush draws on the intense attachment we can feel for the mundane objects in our lives. For Nick, these things are talismans from a past that promised a lot more than it delivered.
Tom Long, Detroit News
In the end, Everything Must Go is something of a consciously static study in sadness, both well-made and wearying.
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
Taking stock and letting go -- of superfluous things, of worn-out love -- is a strong theme. But the progression of the script is like Nick's self-help program. We're familiar with the steps.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Surprisingly, Ferrell underplays it nicely, neither milking Nick's misfortunes for laughs nor asking for our pity.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Gentle understatement that stealthily but surely gets under the skin and touches the heart.
Simon Gallagher, What Culture
Everything Must Go is a pleasantly engaging, entertaining human portrait - a journey that doesn't physically stray very far, but which treads a million metaphorical miles within its main character as he attempts to go from broken man to redeemed man.
Andrew Simpson, Fan The Fire
For a film that preaches giving it all away, Everything Must Go could have done with being a little more bold.
Shaun Munro, What Culture
Cue self pity, followed by despair, followed by resignation, hope and redemption...Screenwriter/director Dan Rush...opts for this standard redemption arc.
Philip French, Observer [UK]
I found this a delicately observed, satisfying movie and greatly enjoyed it.
Lisa Giles-Keddie, Real.com
Ferrell is far more impressive in a straighter role ... as he controls his own brand of zaniness and channels it as bittersweet irony and humour into ordinary events.
David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]
The laughs are gentle, Nick is a pleasingly ambiguous character and the anti-materialism message is admirable.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
A well-controlled film with a portrait at its centre that is astonishingly complete.
Allan Hunter, Daily Express
It may stray into a few redundant subplots along the way but Everything Must Go succeeds as a plaintive portrait of a man cast adrift from all the past certainties of his life.
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]
Too insubstantial to be a full-length feature.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
A pleasing, satisfying chamber-piece.
Oliver Good, Little White Lies
Like a bad date; it's attractive, clever, but lacks a sense of humour.
Chuck Bowen, Slant Magazine
A fine, sad little film receives an okay but undistinguished DVD treatment.
Simon Miraudo, Quickflix
It can't escape the crippling clichés of similar films that have come before it, and there are far too many Cameron Crowe-ian platitudes littered throughout the screenplay to remind us that we are indeed watching a movie.

Read all 25 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dan S

An underwhelming, disappointing exercise in materialism and alcohol addiction concerning a recently fired salesman (Will Ferrell) who must deal with the fact that his wife has left him and locked him out of his house, leaving all of his belongings on his front yard. What could have… More
An underwhelming, disappointing exercise in materialism and alcohol addiction concerning a recently fired salesman (Will Ferrell) who must deal with the fact that his wife has left him and locked him out of his house, leaving all of his belongings on his front yard. What could have been an intriguing film concerning excess and how one can find happiness in minimalism is wasted on a movie that does not desire to go any deeper than surface level cliches and a couple forced subplots that do not ring true. Ferrell, who has dabbled in dramedy before with "Stranger Than Fiction", is surprisingly dull and unconvincing, turning in arguably the worst performance of his career. The movie is not terrible, but it certainly is not good, as it starts out promising but soon becomes a tedious bore that is not interested into delving into anything remotely interesting besides the complete obvious.
Nicki M

Interesting idea, but dragged out too much. Very serious role for Will Ferell. He pulls it off well, but story is too slight for its running time.
Matthew S

The writing doesn't go very far, but maybe that was intended. An alcoholic doesn't need a reason for being an alcoholic, nor are they cured from their intense attraction to alcohol. There's no rationalizing any aspect of it. Still, the writing did feel forced with an… More
The writing doesn't go very far, but maybe that was intended. An alcoholic doesn't need a reason for being an alcoholic, nor are they cured from their intense attraction to alcohol. There's no rationalizing any aspect of it. Still, the writing did feel forced with an odd set of circumstances caked on with more and more convenient oddities needed to fill a movie.
Spencer S

Definitely not a comedy, and it certainly shows that this had to be stretched out from the original short story it was based upon, and yet it still remains a greatly dramatic film. It might be noted that this is a Will Ferrell film absent of Adam Mackay or any goofy antics, and though… More
Definitely not a comedy, and it certainly shows that this had to be stretched out from the original short story it was based upon, and yet it still remains a greatly dramatic film. It might be noted that this is a Will Ferrell film absent of Adam Mackay or any goofy antics, and though that charming indie distinction uselessly lessens an actor's response among their fans, this should be touted as a great performance from the funnyman. I think people should rally around this film, because it really has a poignancy and bitter irony that comes with Raymond Carver's writing and an almost duplicitous performance from Ferrell. Lately Ferrell has really tried to cultivate better performances and has taken on roles that haven't been odd or strange, probably because of the low critical reception of his films Land of the Lost and The Other Guys. He has collaborated with some seriously funny people as of late, but this film is anything but funny. Though it's a tale that isn't anything transcendent, it follows the plight of a man haunted by his past, tethered to a woman who he loves yet cannot carry him anymore, and the workings of his life in suburbia and the neighborhood that watches his decline in silence. I can't stress enough how thoughtful and sensitive the writing of Raymond Carver is, and how his work is adapted with actual care by writer/director Dan Rush. Apparently the story was stretched to accommodate an actual run time, but it all comes through really well. The relationship between the character of Nick (Ferrell) and Kenny (Wallace) was a great highlight, as well as a remarkable performance from Rebecca Hall as his pregnant neighbor. The tension between them was palpable, and really resonated while still not being coy about why it existed within the plot. This is a performance of Ferrell you cannot miss.
Chris W

Based on a short story by Raymond Carver, this litte gem of an indie film is a nicely understated, yet slightly offbeat dramedy that stars Will Ferrell and features a nice suporting cast of both knowns and an unknown or two. This is a nice change of pace for Ferrell. I know he can do… More
Based on a short story by Raymond Carver, this litte gem of an indie film is a nicely understated, yet slightly offbeat dramedy that stars Will Ferrell and features a nice suporting cast of both knowns and an unknown or two. This is a nice change of pace for Ferrell. I know he can do more serious and human type stuff, and this is proof of that. He plays Nick Halsey- a past his prime salesman with a history of alcohol issues who, all in one day finds himself fired from his job and kicked (and locked) out of his house after his wife leaves. He copes by taking all of his stuff that she threw out on the lawn, and making his front yard his new home, as well as one epic yard sale. The set up is the sort of thing that could have been played a number of different ways, and writer/director Dan Rush decided to take the mostly serious, yet still sometimes funny route. It's a nice move that reaches a solid middle ground, and is still relatable, even if the sitauation is slightly bending the rules of reality. Ferrell is terrific, especially when he decides to really play it straight and down to Earth, as he does here. This is definitely some of his best work, and I'd love to see him enter this type of territory more often. Rebecca Hall is nice as a new neighbor who starts to form a connection with him, and, as a young neighborhood kid who also steps in to help Nick get back on his feet C J Wallace (the son of late rapper the Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans) really shines in his film debut, giving a finely observed portrait of a likeable outsider like Nick who is pretty sharp, yet not an overly precocious or seemingly know-it-all as indies are rather guilty of having. Michale Pena and Stephen Root are good, and, even though she's got very limited screen time, it's nice seeing Laura Dern, sicne she almost always brings a welcome touch of class to the projects she's in. All in all, this is a really touching and surprising film, and it definitely will leave you disappointed if you're expecting a ridiculous over the top farce a la Step Brothers. I really enjoyed this film quite a bit. So much so that I'm almost considering bumping it up a half star. The film isn't totally perfect, as the whole scenario does seem a tad unrealistic and the end seems a little too easy, but then again, the characters are at least well rounded and developed, and you do care about them, so it's hard not to root for them. Give this one a shot, it's a nice little treat.
John H

I didn't want to see this because it was Will Ferrell movie. I wanted to see this because I was stricken by the story and that it happened to be a Will Ferrell movie. Well, a serious Will, which rarely comes around.
Daniel P

Surprisingly good, despite the liberties it takes in stretching a very short story (by Raymond Carver, one of my favourites) into a feature-length film. The main character had to be played by a boor, and Ferrell fits the bill admirably; some other actors would have shown a greater… More
Surprisingly good, despite the liberties it takes in stretching a very short story (by Raymond Carver, one of my favourites) into a feature-length film. The main character had to be played by a boor, and Ferrell fits the bill admirably; some other actors would have shown a greater range, but it's important to remember that the character just doesn't get it... and no one can be more obstinate than Ferrell. The film conforms a bit too much to the "I'm so Indie" model, but it's a gripping slice of life in the realist style, and much more enjoyable than Short Cuts.
KJ P

Will Ferrell plays Nick, an 'about to get divorced' man who recently got fired from his job, living on his front yard, obeying the rules to stay out of his house. As all of his belongings rest on his front lawn, he hits like the drunk he is, until he is forced to move or… More
Will Ferrell plays Nick, an 'about to get divorced' man who recently got fired from his job, living on his front yard, obeying the rules to stay out of his house. As all of his belongings rest on his front lawn, he hits like the drunk he is, until he is forced to move or sell everything in a yard sale. We meet characters like Samantha (Rebecca Hall) and Chris, the little kid who he needed to realize what he has been missing. The little hidden messages throughout this film are fantastic, and everyone should watch and learn from it. Will Ferrell finally gives a career defining dramatic performance, in which I actually felt for. This movie will never show signs of dullness, the performances are real, the pacing is soothing, and the conclusion is more than fitting. From it's extremely subtle humour, to it's terrifically engaging events (credit to the writer), "Everything Must Go" is definitely one of the best films of 2011!
Derek A

I didn't find this funny or emotionally connecting. The most irrelevant, ridiculous movie I've seen all year. Will Ferrell is still on the down swing...
Unknown H

Even if I did expect more from this film, what it gave was good enough. Will Ferrell does a wonderful job at playing the loser, but in this film, like in "Stranger Than Fiction", Ferrell gets down to business and in between the jokes, delivers some very decent acting. Solid… More
Even if I did expect more from this film, what it gave was good enough. Will Ferrell does a wonderful job at playing the loser, but in this film, like in "Stranger Than Fiction", Ferrell gets down to business and in between the jokes, delivers some very decent acting. Solid story line set up to be hilarious and is so for much of the film, but peppered with the bitter desperation of Ferrell's character, as well as the intricatley woven sadness of the rest of the cast, this film leaves one with a heavier heart and wider eyes. A very good film, just a little too slow for me.
Matt G

On one hand, 'Everything Must Go' is a touching, emotional, and funny movie. On another hand, it falls apart towards the end, but luckily there is enough wit, humor, and a fantastic performance from Will Ferrell to make this a more than acceptable film. It's always a… More
On one hand, 'Everything Must Go' is a touching, emotional, and funny movie. On another hand, it falls apart towards the end, but luckily there is enough wit, humor, and a fantastic performance from Will Ferrell to make this a more than acceptable film. It's always a delight watching comedic actors take a walk on the dramatic side, so if you are expecting an 'Anchorman' or 'Old School' type of Ferrell, you will be surely disappointed. There are some moments of stupidity from him, but Ferrell plays a straight man mostly. Although I found some flaws, I believe up until the end, this movie is spectacular; the writing, dialogue, as well as the quirkiness of Ferrell's character. It's very touching seeing his characters sentimentality to all of his "useless" stuff that has been dumped on his lawn, and it is truly an emotional ride throughout. Hell, you should just watch the film for Will Ferrell's spectacular headlining performance; he makes 'Everything Must Go' a pretty solid film that is great until it falls apart towards the end.
Shawn E

Everything Must Go is short and sweet. Will Farrell is well suited for this role. The story is bittersweet and wraps up to be a feel good flick.
Pedro H

Lost is a good place to find yourself Bittersweet Everything Must Go is a great movie highly rich on actors, a sensible plot, and a great moral. I enjoyed watching it, it wasn't amazing, but it was really a… More
Lost is a good place to find yourself Bittersweet Everything Must Go is a great movie highly rich on actors, a sensible plot, and a great moral. I enjoyed watching it, it wasn't amazing, but it was really a good time. Nick Halsey (Ferrell) is an alcoholic salesman who's life just goes down the drain: Fired from his job, divorced from his wife, abandoned from his house, and with nowhere to go, Nick has to figure out what road he wishes to take in life, in order to find himself. Everything must go is a movie that talks about the unimportance behind materialistic things, and how everything someone has can come into flames in seconds. In a inscrutable way it is a carpe diem story about letting go and moving on. The movie has an amazing cast: Ferrell one of my all time favorite comedy actors, who takes a completely different role in this movie and nevertheless gives a wonderful performance. There are cameos by Rebecca Hall and Laura Dern who really are just there, and there is the new child revelation Christopher Jordan Wallace who is great in this movie. There is definitely many ways in which this movie could ameliorate, like a better soundtrack, and a more indie touch to it, but overall it doesn't fail. It's a fun and cute movie, which I certainly enjoyed watching. Nick Halsey: Hi, are you in there?
Jeff "

Everything Must Go is a stunning Dramedy starring Will Farrell. Farrell has made another great film after The Other Guys, and I think he has redeemed himself after the few bad ones he's made such as Step-Brothers, Semi-Pro, Blades of Glory and the overrated Anchorman. I… More
Everything Must Go is a stunning Dramedy starring Will Farrell. Farrell has made another great film after The Other Guys, and I think he has redeemed himself after the few bad ones he's made such as Step-Brothers, Semi-Pro, Blades of Glory and the overrated Anchorman. I don't hate Will Farrell, I think he's able to deliver a good performance and Everything Must Go proves it. Everything Must Go is a well plotted dramedy, and I'm glad that a director finally realized that Will Farrell is able to be more of good actor. While most directors tell Farrell to act the same like he did in previous films, director Dan Rush strips the slate clean with Farrell and brings out something different from the comedic actor. Everything Must Go is a superb film and is one of the best films this year. I think that this is one of the best performances that Will Farrell has given, and he shows that he is able to grow as an actor and as a comedian by not doing the same thing over and over again. He is able to do something refreshing from time to time, unlike many other comedians. Though he has made a few lame films, I forgive Farrell and I'm looking forward to what he'll be doing next. I hope he's got a few great performances like this up his sleeves as he was excellent in this film. Everything Must Go was a terrific film with a great story and a great cast. A terrific film and it's definitely one of the best films this year. A must see. However, Farrell fans should take notice that this is very different that what he's done in previous films. A great film to watch and it shows that Will Farrell has matured greatly as an actor.
Bruce B

The very best Will Ferrell Movie I have ever seen. Complete change of Character, 5 Stars nothing less wish I could give it 6 Stars.
Cynthia S

Absolutely wonderful. Not a comedy, even though there are plenty of chuckles. This movie is heartwarming, poignant, tragically sad, and very realistic in its portrayal of the human condition. Will Ferrell just showed us here what a really fantastic actor he can be. THIS is the Will… More
Absolutely wonderful. Not a comedy, even though there are plenty of chuckles. This movie is heartwarming, poignant, tragically sad, and very realistic in its portrayal of the human condition. Will Ferrell just showed us here what a really fantastic actor he can be. THIS is the Will Ferrell that I would prefer to see more often, if not always...
♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Michael Peña, Stephen Root, Laura Dern, Glenn Howerton, Shannon Whirry, Jason Spisak Director: Dan Rush Summary: Director-writer Dan Rush makes his film debut with this dramedy based on a Raymond Carver short story about Nick (Will Ferrell), a… More
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Michael Peña, Stephen Root, Laura Dern, Glenn Howerton, Shannon Whirry, Jason Spisak Director: Dan Rush Summary: Director-writer Dan Rush makes his film debut with this dramedy based on a Raymond Carver short story about Nick (Will Ferrell), a good-hearted but relapsed alcoholic who decides to live on his front lawn after losing his job and being thrown out by his wife. My Thoughts: "I like Will Ferrell but I haven't been a huge fan of his films. I am though a fan of this one. His portrayal of Nick Halsey is of pure emotion. He does a fantastic job in this film. The story is pretty heavy dealing with alcoholism. The great thing about Ferrell's acting in this film is that he doesn't over play it. He just rides the emotions of the character making Nick Halsey a realistic person that some may be able to connect with. The story itself is depressing and a bit inspiring. The relationship of Nick and Kenny is kind of a father and son relationship. They are two very much alone character's that find each other and in some way help one another. It was a great indie flick with great acting and directing. I definitely will be looking for any of Dan Rush's future films."
Melvin W

Nick Halsey: You need to put up some curtains. Samantha: Why? So I don't have some drunk staring at me all day? Nick Halsey: No so you don't have to look at your future. "Lost is a good place to find yourself." Will Farrell gives a surprisingly low key,… More
Nick Halsey: You need to put up some curtains. Samantha: Why? So I don't have some drunk staring at me all day? Nick Halsey: No so you don't have to look at your future. "Lost is a good place to find yourself." Will Farrell gives a surprisingly low key, dramatic and overall excellent performance. It doesn't even seem like the same guy from Step Brothers and The Other Guys. He shows some range in this dramedy that is much for drama than it is comedy. It did have a few occurrences that had me laughing for quite along time, such as the kids "Your mamas so fat" joke. But comedy wasn't the biggest factor in me liking this. It really came down to the performances. Like I said Farrell was great and then there's Rebecca Hall, who I love. She gives a terrific performance as the new, pregnant neighbor. I'm not going to say that this is a great movie because it really doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before. It is a good movie though. It's an emotional film that remains subtle throughout and never relies on melodrama. It's a movie that I can't see hardcore Will Farrell fans liking. They rather see a Anchorman 2 or something along those lines. I like Farrell's more dumb movies too, but this is what I'd rather see him do more often. He is a pretty talented actor and he never gets recognition as one because he's always doing the same things. Nick Halsey is an alcoholic who has been sober for awhile, but after getting drunk on a business trip; he loses his job and his wife in the same day. In order to begin to move on with his life; he begins to seek all his things with some emotional support from a young kid who is always around the neighborhood. The plot is nothing new, but Farrell makes it all come off as fresh. This is well worth a watch even if you aren't a Will Farrell fan. I'd actually recommend it to people who don't like Will Farrell more than those that do because it's so far away from what he normally does. Also it deserves a watch because of Hall's presence. I'll watch anything with her in it.
Everett J

The best way to describe this movie, is it's Will Ferrell's "Punch Drunk love". It's kind of funny, but mostly a drama. Will Ferrell plays Nick, an alcoholic salesman who loses his job, and comes home to find his wife has put all his stuff on his front lawn… More
The best way to describe this movie, is it's Will Ferrell's "Punch Drunk love". It's kind of funny, but mostly a drama. Will Ferrell plays Nick, an alcoholic salesman who loses his job, and comes home to find his wife has put all his stuff on his front lawn and left him. He then begins to sell everything and tries to get his life back on the right track. It's one of those "quiet dramas" where there are fewer words, and people's expressions tell most of the story. It's just ok, some funny moments, but mostly it's kind of boring. Ferrell does a good job, but it's weird seeing him in a role like this. You keep waiting for a couple big laugh out loud gags, but they never come. Fans of Will Ferrell may be disappointed, unless you really want something different out of him. Decent for a one time view, and hopefully you'll make it through it.
Lenny M

Everything must flow. Will Ferrell is a solid actor, more than the "nutsack on your drumset" guy you expect. Very versatile chops that are under utilized. This movie had a lot potential but I feel that the conclusion was weak, but overall it was solid Leuben.