People Like Us 2012

Sam Harper, Chris Pine, is a struggling corporate trader in New York City who finds himself looming under a possible federal investigation, and his boss pushes him to consider bribing federal officials to smooth things over. The tension kicks off a domino effect that pulls Sam into a web of family secrets he never expected. The moment he returns home, his girlfriend Hannah informs him that his estranged father, Jerry, has died, and the news sends him on a flight to Los Angeles to confront the past. In Los Angeles he faces a tense reunion with his mother, Lillian Harper, whose stern, protective care frames Sam’s complicated history with his father.

The story widens when Jerry’s lawyer Ike reveals that Sam will not inherit any money. Instead, Ike hands Sam a shaving kit filled with $150,000 in cash and a note instructing that the money be delivered to Josh Davis, a troubled 11-year-old whose bartender mother Frankie Davis, a recovering alcoholic, is struggling to keep their lives together. Frankie Davis is a figure of resilience and fragility, and Sam’s curiosity grows as he quietly follows her to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It is there that Sam learns Frankie is Jerry’s illegitimate daughter, making her Josh’s mother and Sam’s half-sister, and he introduces himself to Frankie as a visiting fellow alcoholic, hoping to bridge a fractured family with a careful, cautious step.

Frankie’s initial wariness clashes with Sam’s intent to keep the money, and Hannah’s departure back to New York after Sam declares his plan to keep the cash sets a somber tone. Undeterred, Sam begins to build a connection with Josh, stepping in to prevent a small theft at a record store and gradually becoming a father figure in the boy’s life. Through quiet acts like helping with laundry, Sam uncovers a pattern: Jerry used to visit Frankie and her mother on Sundays, and Frankie has never met Jerry’s wife and son, a revelation that unsettles her but also deepens Sam’s resolve to understand the man who shaped their fates.

Frankie’s guard hardens as she grows more protective of Josh, fearing that Sam’s presence could destabilize the boy’s world when Sam inevitably returns to New York. The tension comes to a head when Sam decides to leave, only to return to pick up Josh after a fight that jolts both him and Frankie into reality. The turning point arrives when Sam finally reveals that he is Jerry’s son, a truth that stings Frankie’s grateful openness into anger. She orders him to leave, and the matter seems resolved when Frankie receives Jerry’s money through a lawyer. She quits her job, enrolls in school, and moves to a suburban neighborhood with Josh, severing contact with Sam in the process.

Meanwhile, Lillian’s health crisis brings Sam and Hannah back into closer contact, and their relationship slowly mends. Hannah, who has enrolled in UCLA’s law program, stays by Sam’s side in a bid to remain close and grounded as their family saga unfolds. After Sam’s mother’s heart condition stabilizes, Lillian reveals a painful truth: she forced Jerry to choose their family over Frankie and her mother, protecting Sam even as Jerry’s love remained elusive. Jerry’s rejection of Sam left a lingering ache, but the note left by Josh—delivered through Lillian—signals a fragile hope that family can be rebuilt.

Josh’s longing to reconnect with Sam becomes a catalyst for one final reckoning. With Lillian’s address now known to him, Josh seeks Sam out, leaving a heartfelt note in the hope that the bond they share can be rekindled. When Sam visits Frankie, he asks for forgiveness and expresses his desire to be her brother, Josh’s uncle, and a steady father figure in their lives. The moment arrives when Sam shows Frankie an old film reel Jerry shot of a young Sam at a playground. In the grainy frame, a girl joins Sam, and Frankie realizes that Jerry had regularly brought both his children to play together, demonstrating a shared love for Sam and Frankie. This epiphany softens Frankie’s resolve and finally helps her accept Sam as her brother.

The film closes on a note of quiet resilience, highlighting how family ties—sometimes hidden, sometimes strained—still endure, reshape futures, and ultimately guide characters toward reconciliation, belonging, and a renewed sense of family belonging. The story stands as a compassionate, intimate portrait of wrongs faced, forgiveness earned, and the uncertain path to healing that families must travel together. The cast also features Michelle Pfeiffer in a supporting role, adding depth to the layered emotional tapestry of these intertwined lives.