The Savages
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Movie Reviews of The Savages
Movie Review: A cut above the rest
Summary: 4 Stars
The dysfunctional family is a theme which has been so overdone in American film that I can't blame you if the prospect of watching yet another screwy family on screen elicits a groan. But The Savages stands a cut above the rest, not just for the performances (which were wonderful), or the writing (which was flawless), but because at long last the reason for the dysfunctionality makes sense. (It's not just the fact that we're junk-food-eating Americans who watch too much TV.)
The plot of the movie is deceptively simple. Two siblings, Wendy and Jon Savage, are suddenly faced with the responsibility of caring for their demented father, Lenny. Neither sibling has been what you would call a success in life. Wendy, who works as a temp in New York City, is stuck in a tire-spinning relationship with a married man. Jon, a theater professor in Buffalo who is perpetually on the verge of writing his definitive work on Berthold Brecht, can't seem to keep a relationship going either. And Lenny, apparently, has not done anything approaching a good job as a father. Normally, the interactions of three people who haven't got much going for them wouldn't make a good movie. In this case, however, it worked.
The reason it worked is that the interactions were entirely realistic. Wendy's neurotic quest to find some indication that her father has actually cared about his children is entirely plausible. (It is only in movies that daughters dramatically lash back at cold fathers. Mostly they seek approval.) Jon's rejection of Wendy's efforts is equally as plausible, although you don't find out why until the end of the film. As with Wendy, Jon provokes no confrontation with his father. There is no cathartic moment of resolution--just quiet resignation. The fact that nothing is overdramatized is what makes the film so believable.
Even if the topic does not appeal to you, The Savages is worth watching just for Philip Seymour Hoffman, who, as always, gives a masterful performance. Hoffman's ability to convey subtle emotions--of every variety--is simply unmatched. Laura Linney, as the pill-popping Wendy, gives a fine performance, as does Philip Bosco as the irascible Lenny. The supporting cast was convincing enough to make you think they weren't actors--just real people. And that's precisely what this film was about.
Movie Review: Pulls very few punches
Summary: 4 Stars
Billed as a dark comedy, 'The Savages' is certainly not standard movie fare but I think it's a film that we're richer for having around. Many have tackled end-of-life issues before but very few have done it like this. It is an unsentimental, unapologetic, slice-of-life depiction of two middle aged siblings, Linney (in an Oscar-nominated turn) and Hoffman, managing the rapid mental deterioration and death of their estranged, abusive father and the process - physiological and logistical - that entails.
It averts its gaze from none of the practical and emotional issues met by everyone whose family members live so long. From scatological problems to the appalling reality of nursing homes to the pressures of guilt, it covers the bases. It does punctuate it with moments of humor and sprinkles knowingly wry observations of sibling dynamics throughout. But there are no saccharine reconciliations or dramatic changes of heart in the last act to pull the punches. Things just happen and the people react as we all do - with integrity and responsibility in some areas and utter cowardice and flakiness in others. And with many things left unsaid.
My only real nit to pick is a slight sense of self-indulgence in the characters' professions. Everyone but the father is in the theater (or wants to be). It leads to a bit of inside humor that took me out of the movie a few times. (If you know who Bertolt Brecht is, it could open up another level of Hoffman's character to you. He briefly summarizes Brecht's epic philosophy at one point.) But it's not a huge liability.
Linney and Hoffman are, of course, impeccable but I believe Philip Bosco, who plays the largely silent role of the father, deserves praise as well. He speaks volumes with exhausted eyes and resigned yet pained stillness.
Movie Review: Hoffman & Linney. Acting doesn't get much better than this.
Summary: 4 Stars
Without a doubt, two of the finest actors today, is enough of a draw for me to want to see this movie. While there are certainly people that would choose not to see this movie based on the depressing nature of the subject matter, this is not a sad movie and doesn't attempt to make any statements about the nature of our nursing care system. Instead, one is treated to exceptional acting from two individuals at the top of their profession.
Wendy and John Savage, brother and sister who have grown apart, are thrust together when their father's 20 year girlfriend dies and they are forced to deal with father's dementia. Linney and Hoffman are given a script with wonderfully written dialogue that provides the right emotional balance between heartache and laughter. I did not expect to crack a smile during this movie but was pleasntly surprised with the amount of times I found myself smiling -- especially the scene where Wendy is ticked that she can't find the red pillow she bought for her father.
The cinematography is wonderful and there is magnificient use of overexposed light and darkness when going from Arizona to NYC and Buffalo. My only complaint and what prevented me from giving the movie five stars is that I did want just a bit more of the backstory of Wendy, John and their father. Why did Wendy and John grow apart? What was their father really like? While it is understandable to believe they grew apart and tried to remove as much of their earlier years to move on with their life, but I expected their father's demise to bring about some reminiscing and dialogue about their father and their past.
Needless to say, my critique doesn't diminish the overall strength of this picture and certainly is a must-see for the performances by Linney and Hoffman.
Movie Review: A heartfelt family drama with compelling performances
Summary: 4 Stars
I had put off watching The Savages since someone had told me it was a 'downer'. But after finally watching it one bleak afternoon, I felt that the story of a pair of emotionally-damaged siblings coping with an aging parent was well-done without melodrama or overt sappiness.
Laura Linney plays Wendy Savage, a temp worker who plods through life trying to make the rent whilst struggling to get a writing grant [writing plays about dysfunctional families that seem very autobiographical]. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays her brother Jon, a lecturer at a college who finds himself unable to commit to his Polish girlfriend and seems to float through life in an unhappy haze. Both Jon and Wendy find themselves having to pull themselves together to settle the matter of their aging dad, Lenny [Philip Bosco], a man who was an abusive parent and is now suffering the ravages of dementia.
All the principal actors do an amazing job in pulling this drama from just another dysfunctional family story to the level of an amazingly real movie that deals with life's realities, pulling no punches. The bleakness and emptiness of Jon and Wendy's lives is starkly portrayed, yet within all this emotional darkness there are still moments of acerbic wit and humor. Both Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman share an incredible chemistry, portraying sibling dynamics in a truly credible manner. These two actors have honed their craft almost to perfection in their roles here.
If you like family dramas that pull no punches, and focus on 'real' themes that affect us all at some point, be it dealing with difficult family members, giving care to an older relative, dealing with life's lows and pulling oneself out of an emotional abyss, then "The Savages" might just be your cup of tea.
Movie Review: An Unexpected Surprise of a Movie!
Summary: 4 Stars
Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Bosco plays the Savages about an estranged father played beautifully by Bosco who should have earned a Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in this role. Linney, Hoffman, and Bosco have all been accomplished thespians on stage, film, and television. In this film, Bosco is unrecognizable as the elderly father who has been emotionally absent from children's lives. Linney and HOffman are perfect as his adult children who are both somewhat alone in their lives. Hoffman's role as John Savage is a literature professor who knows more about Bertolt Brecht than about his father. Linnney plays his sister who is a doomed love affair with a colleague and aspires to be a playwright rather than a working temp in New York City. When their father's longtime girlfriend suddenly dies, the Savages come together in Arizona where they must accompany their father back to Buffalo, New York near where John lives and works as a professor. His sister accompanies their dementia stricken father aboard the flight. In this one scene and clip, I think of Linney as one of our finest actresses today. The story picks up where the family tries to become a family despite their estrangements from each other over the years. All three of them should have easily earned Oscar nominations for their performances especially Bosco as their father. The brother and sister regularly visit their father in a nursing home which he thinks of as a hotel. Along his illness, I believe both his adult children learn something along the way about themselves and life in general. I don't know much about the nursing home experience to make any comments about it. I liked seeing Margo Martindale (the Riches) and Nancy Lenehan in supporting roles.