The Savages

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, Philip Bosco
Directed by: Tamara Jenkins
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two siblings (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney) are forced to come together to deal with their father (Philip Bosco) as he slowly begins to die. This process is difficult for them both, and they struggle with each other and the situation.

Review:

Tim: I really liked this movie. It is hard to explain, because the movie just sounds completely depressing. To be fair, the subject matter is indeed, fairly depressing. However, the movie has an undercurrent of warmth and heart that makes it all worthwhile. This movie looks at real people and the real-life situations they occasionally find themselves in. The entire movie feels very true to life.

Enough cannot be said of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. They are both excellent in their roles. They are so good together- perfectly embodying the brother-sister relationship. As I watched, I marveled at their performances- they truly looked like a brother and sister. These are the scenes that fuel this movie. There are so many great moments between Hoffman and Linney- the tennis game, the fights, and so many more. However, the real moments are those quiet ones that exist between the big scenes. They are amazing.

One of the downfalls of a realistic movie is that if you're not careful, it can feel a little too real to life. Let's face it, life is pretty boring sometimes, and this movie falls into that. Occasionally it drags and feels a bit superfluous. Luckily, these scenes are kept to a minimum.

One of this film's great strenghts is that it accurately captures how messy and difficult like can be. It is sometimes quite bleak and depressing, and this movie somehow harnesses that feeling, but conveys it to its audience in a heartwarming way.

The Savages works because it is such a realistic movie. On the opposite side, the film is a bit much because it is so realistic. While the film isn't perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hoffman and Linney give absolutely breathtaking performances, and they alone are worth seeking this movie out.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Little Miss Sunshine, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Squid and the Whale, Charlie Wilson's War