The garbage bag is disliked as another embarrassing Philadelphia image and its usefulness is questioned; a pickle-juice alternative is joked about.
Jacki Weaver is called good in the role but questionable casting because the mother could have supplied a convincing Philadelphia accent; Melissa Leo is proposed instead.
De Niro’s Oscar nomination and comeback narrative are questioned even while his performance and renewed engagement are appreciated.
Randy’s behavior is considered implausibly tolerated: a Cowboys fan flirting with Pat Senior’s wife and threatening the family’s livelihood would face confrontation.
Tiffany is provocatively compared to the Joker for manipulating Pat through the forged letter and promise of his estranged wife’s presence.
The characters feel psychologically Philadelphian without sounding local; avoiding accents has defenders, while a genuinely local actress is imagined and Nikki’s actor is identified as being from Philadelphia.
