Carter has spent much of his life mediating fights between his acrimoniously divorced, ill-behaved mother and father and taking on the role of designated authority figure to his carefree younger brother, Trey. Inspired by Trey’s sudden engagement, Carter resolves to negotiate a truce between his parents, a process that nearly unhinges him. Adding insult to injury, a frantic sprint back to his childhood therapist, Dr. Judith, reveals he was a prime subject in her self-help book on the “least-parented, least-nurtured generation” ever. Dr. Judith may not be able to help him, but she’s delighted he’s come back and inspired a sequel.

Adam Scott’s increasingly befuddled everyman is flanked by vivacious comic performances from Catherine O’Hara and Amy Poehler as his stubborn mom and sassy stepmom, respectively. Stuart Zicherman’s charming feature debut explores the joys and frustrations of life in a modern family, allowing that romance is never impossible, even for a hopelessly scarred adult child of divorce. - H. Z.