The Savages

I recently rented the Independent film "The Savages". It stars Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Academy Award nominee Laura Linney. This film did not get a lot of media attention. I only saw one or two commercials\trailers, and that was promoting the film on DVD. Even though  it did not get a lo of attention, it did get a lot of attention  at the Academy Awards. Where it was nominated for Best Actress and Best original Screenplay. It also go a lot of attention from multiple film festivals. It won top ten movies of 2007 from both the American film Institute and the National Board of of Review. It also won Best Actor and Best Screenplay fro the Independent Spirit Awards. 

Overall I really enjoyed this film. Obviously the acting was amazing. he acting was very important to the film because of the dark humor and the serious plot. Like most Independent films it is very important to listen and pay attention to the dialogue. It was not as important to pay attention to what they were actually doing. And there was not of action to be seen. The film had a very invisible style, like a lot of Hollywood films. Although there were some artistic filming choices, for example,  whenever they are pushing there father in the wheel chair they camera usually showed them from the side and follows them very quickly.

A I said before, this film has a serious plot and dark humor. The story is of two siblings, a brother and sister, who discover that there father has dementia and is dying. But this story is also about forgiveness and dealing with estranged family members. It was very encouraging to watch the adult children forgive there father and take care of him. Because he was a bad parent and really damaged his children during their childhood. It was also encouraging to watch then become closer as a family and as siblings. 

I would recommend this film to people who enjoy a dialogue filled film with thick humor. As a warning, the film was depressing at times and difficult to watch. So do not watch it is you want to feel warm and fuzzy.