THIS family comedy confected by siblings Jesse and Evgania Peretz works hard to make us laugh at gags that might go down poorly with short-fused film-goers expecting wit or subtlety.

But what the heck? Tickled endorphins are a plus at any time.

Ned (Paul Rudd), a sweet, free spirit without a mean or angry cell in his body, has three sisters, unattached Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) trying out for a writing job with “Vanity Fair”, Liz (Emily Mortimer) married to a philandering documentary maker (Steve Coogan) and Natalie (Zooey Deschanel) in a full-on relationship with Cindy (Rashida Jones).

After serving a sentence for selling weed to a friendly cop, Ned finds that his ex has assumed control of the farmlet where they grew vegetables.  His mother (Shirley Knight) suggests that he live with one of his sisters. A recipe for chaos if ever there was.

The story’s evolution through Ned’s interaction with his family and their significant others never really convinces us that it has a useful purpose.

Watching him surviving among his family feminocracy is a sufficiently disquieting experience to persuade us to persevere with him in the hope that his life will somehow work out.

As it must, with resolution coming from left field, as we knew it would.

At Dendy