A Family Thing
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Grace Zabriskie, Irma P. Hall, James Earl Jones, Michael Beach, Robert DuvallDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 109 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-05-08
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product features:
- A dvd for the family.
Movie Reviews of A Family Thing
Movie Review: Heart warming family drama
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to admit when I sat down to watch this movie I wasn't expecting much. After all so much has been written about crossing the color line in the USA and none of it has hit home for me, it seems that writers and film producers are afraid to tell the truth and either avoid the subject altogether or gloss it over in order to make it more palatable. However in "A Family Thing" there is no attempt to avoid the truth or gloss over the details and a story is told from the point of view of a man who one day finds out that his whole life has been built on lies. Earl Pilcher, played superbly by Robert Duvall is a white man living a white Southern life but with the death of his mother he finds that his family history is not what he thought it was. Armed with this knowledge he goes looking for his half-brother, Ray, played to perfection by the magnificent James Earl Jones, a man who has striven to bury the past, which includes his white half-brother. But Earl isn't Ray's brother for nothing and he proceeds to bulldoze his way into Ray's life and that of his bewildered family. Only the indomitable Aunt T, Irma P Hall at her crusty best is not fazed by Earl's appearance. She knows who Earl is the moment she meets him, and she's as blind as a bat to boot but filled with good Black Southern wisdom that has held her in good stead since the day her sister died not long after giving birth to Earl. This is a deliciously heart warming film with some genuinely moving and funning moments. I laughed and cried myself silly at Ray's attempt to keep Earl's identity secret from his Aunt, and Earl's shock when he goes to the supermarket with his Aunt and she tells the store owner that Earl is her nephew, and the store owner's expression because Earl is whiter than white. It's not all hearts and roses though, there are tough words spoken and violence takes place but the story glides steadily towards its gentle climax. With Ray's son grudgingly accepting Earl as his Uncle, and Ray himself coming to terms with a tragic past, the story ends with both men visiting their mother's grave and accepting each other for what and who they are. This is a brilliant film that somehow manages to convey a sense of America's colorful past that has been hidden in the shadows of history far too long. Two of the best moments in the film are the birth of Earl and how Aunt T eventually reconciles the embittered and angry brothers. This film might not be everyone's cup of tea but as yet in this genre I have yet to come across another film of such good quality. Billy Bob Thornton certainly knows how to direct films of merit.
Summary of A Family Thing
OscarÂ(r) winner* Robert Duvall stars with the legendary James Earl Jones in this powerful yet tender film from director Richard Pearce (Leap of Faith) and co-writers Billy Bob Thornton (Academy AwardÂ(r) winner** for Sling Blade) and Tom Epperson. "Fresh and thought-provoking" (Rex Reed), this touching story is steeped in life-affirming insights and down-to-earth sincerity. Duvall is Earl Pilcher, Jr., an Arkansas man who is about to discover the surprise of his life: the family he never knew he had. When he learns that he has an African-American half-brother living in Chicago, Earl heads north on a journey that will take him closer to home than he ever could have imagined. It won't be easy, though, since his brother (Jones) wants nothing to do with him. But with the help of their remarkable Aunt T (Irma P. Hall) and her simple wisdom, the men work through their long-held grudges and prejudices, gaining a greater understanding of each other andthemselves. *1983: Actor, Tender Mercies **1996: Writing (Screenplay based on Material Previously Produced or Published), Sling BladeThis film features the wonderfully understated duet of Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones, two old pros who know just how to stay out of each other's way while offering superb support. Duvall plays Earl Pilcher, an aging Southerner whose mother dies, leaving him a letter with a startling secret: in fact, she was not his mother, though she raised him--but his father is really his father. His real mother was a black servant whom his father forced himself upon, and she died in childbirth. Even more shocking, he has a black brother in Chicago, Ray (Jones). Stunned to his soul, Earl heads for Chicago, where he finds that Ray not only knows his secret but wants nothing to do with him. Slowly, however, in this marvelously drawn script by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson, the two brothers find common ground. The theme--about discovering a family bond where none existed before--works better than the story-telling, which is a shade predictable. Watch for a great supporting performance by actress Irma Hall, who plays the aunt of both men. --Marshall Fine
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