Unlike the somber tones of the 2011 film "We Need to Talk About Kevin," the approach of "Rudderless" centers on the father Sam (Crudup), who tries to resolve his and son Josh's failures through music, and a young man who looks at Sam as a father figure. Once an overachieving advertising director who led a shallow life, Sam has landed in a small town, living on a boat, taking on odd jobs and hanging out a bar that holds an open mic night (look out for Kate Micucci from "Garfunkel and Oates" singing about a whore).