The Savages (2007)

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I'm experiencing similar events to the Linney and Hoffman's characters within my own family, so this film really hit home. The Savages subtle brand of humour and thoughtfulness make for a deeply funny, superbly acted film. I haven't seen Tamara Jenkins directorial debut 'Slums of Beverly Hills' but if it's half this good I won't leave it long.

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this flick but anything starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney was pretty much a must see in my book so I was definitely eager to watch this movie. First of all, as expected, they both delivered some solid performances. I especially enjoyed Hoffman. Indeed, even though his character was basically a shabby egoistical jerk, Hoffman s... read more

The father is a weak alibi, to explore the relationship of rivalry and affection between bro and sis, focusing on Linney's decadence...

Description: It's almost impossible to describe The Savages in a way that makes it sound as richly engaging and enjoyable as it is. The story sounds bleak: Two unhappy siblings--Wendy (Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me) and Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote)--are forced to grapple with their dying father (Philip Bosco, Damages) as he slips into dementia. But this spare outline doesn't capture the wealth of human detail that the script and performances contain. Linney and Hoffman vividly portray the sort of cluttered, precarious relationship that brothers and sisters can have, thick with past grievances but also unspoken affections a It's almost impossible to describe The Savages in a way that makes it sound as richly engaging and enjoyable as it is. The story sounds bleak: Two unhappy siblings--Wendy (Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me) and Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote)--are forced to grapple with their dying father (Philip Bosco, Damages) as he slips into dementia. But this spare outline doesn't capture the wealth of human detail that the script and performances contain. Linney and Hoffman vividly portray the sort of cluttered, precarious relationship that brothers and sisters can have, thick with past grievances but also unspoken affections and connections that can't even be articulated. As Wendy and Jon struggle to make some kind of peace with their difficult father, watching these wonderfully understated yet compelling actors is a pleasure unto itself. But the script and direction deserve these actors; filmmaker Tamara Jenkins (Slums of Beverly Hills) finds honest emotion and sly, sideways humor in the starkness of mortality. She doesn't force any easy epiphanies on her story, but lets the characters find solace through their own clumsy efforts. Anyone who appreciates the messiness of humanity--the territory that Hollywood movies seem to have surrendered to smart indie films like The Squid and the Whale, Little Children, or The Good Girl--will find The Savages a smart, genuine, and empathic portrait of life. --Bret Fetzer
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