The wake devolves into a self-obsessed Hollywood party with the arrival of various guests, including Judy, who was the patriarch's young lover and is also having an affair with eldest son Matt, and Meadow, who through familial marriages and re-marriages, is both cousin and stepsister to the brothers.

The idea came about when producer David Austin asked Jaymes to write a screenplay for a film they could shoot on location at a mansion once owned by Samuel Goldwyn that he was about to sell.

[4] Robert Koehler of Variety said the film "eludes the trap of excessive familiarity with an acidic sense of humor and a superbly cast ensemble.

"[5] He noted "the extended, drug-fueled duo between Sisto and Cole is quite magical, while Greer is allowed to exercise her best comic instincts (especially in tandem with the deadpan Keeslar)", and described the film as a "lighter side of 'The Celebration,' both in terms of its ad-hoc and nervy approach to characters".

The frequently hilarious dialogue has a loose, improvisational feel that makes the entire movie seem far more realistic than it is, and Jaymes' tight direction and constant intercutting of scenes moves the film along at a brisk pace.