I think critics are being too harsh on Jason Reitman’s “Men, Women & Children”. It may not be as good as last year’s “Disconnect”, but at a time when so many movies offer nothing but escapism, it’s refreshing to encounter one that has something to say about modern society, and a good enough cast to bring it to life. Co-written by Reitman himself, “Men, Women & Children” takes a closer look at the wide-ranging impact that social media is having on our everyday lives. Adam Sandler plays a dad who is addicted to porn. So is his son (Travis Tope). The mom (Rosemarie DeWitt) resorts to a Web escort service to cheat on poor dad.  Another mom (Jennifer Garner) monitors her daughter’s activity online, while yet another mom (Judy Greer) posts revealing photos of her daughter on a modeling website. You see where I’m going. Not all the stories are worth discussing, but I will say that most of them are tough to watch at times because they feel so real. That’s also why the movie is effective. I can’t imagine any audience member who won’t relate to at least one of the characters or the problems they face. And at the end, you can view “Men, Women & Children” as a cautionary tale or simply become engaged with its many characters. Either way, it’s still well worth seeing.

Rating: 2.5/4