5Q Movie Review: The Savages

Q: So, hey, I saw the trailer and the poster for this movie, and it looks like it must be a real riot--a really funny dark comedy, huh?
A: Well, it's dark, and it's darkly funny at times, but don't expect too much from the comedy department. That preview that shows Phillip Seymour Hoffman getting nailed with a ball is deceptive, as is that Daniel Clowes-illustrated poster. This isn't some slapstick comedy, nor is it Ghost World. It's a lot more serious than I expected--a thoughtful exploration of human relationships with some comic elements. The alienation found in Clowes' comics, however, is certainly found here.

Q: Uh-oh, does that mean this is all depressing? It's about two siblings trying to care for their aging father, right?
A: The film takes a sober enough look at the issues associated with dealing for elderly parents to make you think. It is not at all what I'd call depressing, though my friend and I sure found watching it awkward given the preponderance of senior citizens surrounding us in the theater.

The Savages shows a lot of the steps that you have to take when planning long-term care for the elderly--steps that many movies skip over. It's not like a how-to or anything, but that the film does this while entertaining gives it a fairly unique point of view. There's a lot more going on, though.

Q: OK, I'll bite. What else is going on?
A: For one thing, the father was never a Dad of the Year candidate, and it's clear that the strained relationship doesn't magically heal when it's time for the offspring to take charge after his longtime female companion dies (and HER offspring kick him out of her place). There aren't sudden revelations and contrived bonding activities. It's messy and awkward--not sitcom awkward like we see so much on TV these days, but painful kind of awkward.

Also, I found myself focusing more on the relationship the brother and sister share with each other. As a brother of two wonderful sisters, it was tough for me to watch these two troubled siblings share such an uncomfortable presence together. They are individuals who could clearly help each other, but past baggage is a tough obstacle that keeps preventing that.

Q: And how are Hoffman and Laura Linney as the brother and sister?
A: I wouldn't call "The Savages" a great movie, but it is extremely well acted. Linney, one of my favorite actresses working today, deserves her Oscar nod for making the character so real. And there may come a day when Phillip Seymour Hoffman's mannerisms and Actorly acting start to irritate me, but I hope it never comes, and I think I'll be a far lesser person if it does.

Credit also goes to writer/director Tamara Jenkins, of course, for creating 3-dimensional, identifiable characters.

Q: Linney's Academy Award nomination aside, I haven't heard much about this. Why is it so far under the radar?
A: Hey, it's an indie movie, and by that I mean it's a true indie. It looks like an indie, it lacks sensational subject matter, it deals with emotions and feelings, and it is often ambiguous. It reminds me of the 1990s, when these types of movies seemingly came out all the time. They weren't all classics, but they were often compelling, mature works that made you think a little bit. Hopefully the nominations (Jenkins also received recognition for the screenplay) raise this one's profile.