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2008
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THE
SAVAGES
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STARRING:PHILIP
SEYMOUR HOFFMAN,LAURA LINNEY,PHILIP BOSCO, PETER FRIEDMAN,DAVID
ZAYAS,GBENGA AKINNAGBE,CARA SEYMOUR
WRITTEN
BY TAMARA JENKINS
PRODUCED
BY ANNE CAREY,TED HOPE & ERICA WESTHEIMER
DIRECTED
BY TAMARA JENKINS
GENRE:COMEDY/DRAMA
RATED:AUSTRALIA:M/UK:15/USA:R
RUNNING
TIME:114 MIN
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Tamara
Jenkins' The Savages begins with an eerily sublime, Lynch-esque
introduction to the suburbs of Sun City, Arizona, which quickly gives
way to an uncomfortable scene of elderly dementia.
Cue to the films two lead characters; Wendy Savage (Laura Linney),
an office drone and inspiring playwright who lives in New York City
where she is in involved in a marital affair with Larry (Peter Friedman);
and her brother John Savage (Peter Friedman), a drama professor who
resides in Buffalo and is in a relationship with a Polish immigrant
(Cara Seymour) whose visa has expired.Together they travel to Arizona
to take care of their estranged father Lenny (Philip Bosco), who has
succumbed to dementia and requires 24 hour care.
While watching The Savages, I was struck by how this deep and
intimate picture reminded me of the heartfelt films of the early 1970's,
particularly those by Hal Ashby and Jerry Schatzberg.
Although the film is rooted in dark subject matter, its subtle comedic
touches lends humour at the right moments, and its tender moments
do no feel forced and are profoundly heartfelt due to the at times
questionable nature of its characters, as a family torn apart by abuse
and bitterness is brought together by resentment, guilt, and a children's
duty to their parents.
Stellar performances are given by lead actors Philip Seymour Hoffman
and Laura Linney, two naturalistic performers who hit all of the right
notes required from their multi-layered characters. Hoffman in particular
has had quite an extraordinary year with magnificent turns in Charlie
Wilson's War and Before
the Devil Knows You're Dead.
In spite of the fact that their characters are not the most likeable
pair, empathy is felt for them due to their poor upbringing by Lenny,
who is played magnificently by Philip Bosco. While we the viewer only
see a frail old men and not the abusive and abandoning father as described
by his children, Jenkins drops hints along the way which informs the
viewer as to the type of abuse these people endured during their infancy.
The Savages is laced with extremely awkward moments that will
make some wince, yet it handles these moments with a brutal honesty
that reminds us of an unspoken and ugly truth of life: we - along
with those close to us - will grow old and die. For that alone this
is highly recommended. |
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