From his career choices to date, it's hard to tell if John Krasinski ("Jim" on The Office) is trying to be the new Zach Braff or the new Chris Pratt. More likely than not, he's looking to emulate Oscar-winning actor turned filmmaker George Clooney (The Facts of Life, ER) who directed him in Leatherheads.

All four made their bones in TV before branching out in different directions. Like Braff (Scrubs), Krasinski has directed two independent features, and like Pratt (Parks and Recreation), who hit the gym for Guardians of the Galaxy, he transformed his physique in order to make like an action hero in Michael Bay's Benghazi spectacular 13 Hours.

He also appeared in an off-Broadway play with Claire Danes, so it's not as if he's been sitting around counting his residuals. But it would be no crime if he did, since The Hollars reveals no distinctive style to differentiate it from all the other dysfunctional family dramedies rolling off the assembly line.

It represents one of writer Jim Strouse's least distinctive scripts—Steve Buscemi's character piece Lonesome Jim is much better—and Krasinski, who plays the commitment-shy lead, doesn't do much with it, so it's good that he's roped in reliable performers like Margo Martindale, whose performance as a critically-ill matriarch is so good that it belongs in a better, more interesting film.

Krasinski is fortunate that he has the name recognition to try his hand at anything he wants, but maybe he shouldn't cast his net quite so wide.