Other People

Be careful - this film might just break your heart ! It took me a while to warm to this, totally unspectacular and unpolished as it first appears. It just observes a family's interactions as the mother is slowly dying from cancer, with the focus on the young gay son who has come back home to help look after her. At times it feels hardly like a 'movie', there is such a sense of simple observation. There were moments where it almost seemed to be a documentary and I felt like I was eavesdropping on a real family's real pain and grief. Increasingly I became aware of the film being rich with ever-so-subtle elements, easily missed, gradually deepening an atmosphere of great authenticity. It is a sad film, but also (astonishingly) with a wonderful sense of wry humour and real warmth. A million miles away from Hollywood, this gem could be easily overlooked. Don't !

Unfortunately, this wonderful movie is severely underrated and underseen for whatever reason. If more people were aware of this movie's actual existence I am certain it would be receiving much more attention and praise, because it really is a damn good movie. There are lots of problems with it, but as a whole it's really great. For the most part, the script is extremely witty and well done, and all of the tragic elements blend with the comic quite well-although one could easily argue that this films mixture of emotions is as much of a curse as it is a blessing. I will admit that it caught me a little off guard when a drastic tonal shift would occur, however the movie definitely never feels ridiculous and convoluted tonally. For the most part, everything remains quite consistent-its all very sad, but also hopeful and hilarious.

All of the performances are quite good, especially Molly Shannon whose mostly known for her comedic roles but gives a solid dramatic performance in this film as the main character's mother, who is dying of cancer. While also remaining funny and heartfelt, this movie brings up topics and themes of life, loss, love, death, sexuality, and family relationships in an extraordinarily powerful and realistic way. Although it is slow at times and not all of the jokes work, its an overall lovely, emotional, and funny little movie. Check it out!

This film tells the story of a young writer who goes back home to take care of his gravely ill mother.

I have the misconception that it is a comedy because Jesse Plemons is in it. The first half of the film is quite funny in a morbid way, and then the second half of the film is just very depressing. The story is very engaging because all the main characters are well crafted and the story telling is excellent. There are no filler scenes at all. I particularly care for the writer and his mother. I feel their pain. I just never expected this film to be so so good.

This is not an easy movie to watch if you recently lost a family member to cancer. Then again, that probably says something about just how true the storytelling is here. Anybody who's gone back home under tough circumstances or claimed to be fine when they aren't or lost a loved one or found the humor in the most tragic moments possible (so basically anyone) will watch this movie and nod their head. It misses the mark at moments, but it also hits it more often than not, party thanks to amazing performances by Shannon and Plemons. And that's how we ended up chuckling through tears. Which seems pretty appropriate for us this year, honestly.

IMDb.com classifies this 2016 film as a comedy/drama. Well there are one or two laughs but they are of the nervous variety. The focus here is on drama. A struggling comedy writer, played by Jesse Plemons is fresh off a breakup and in the midst of the worst year of his life. He returns to Sacramento, to the bosom of his family to care for his dying mother, Molly Shannon in an outstanding performance.

Train's "Drops of Jupiter" features several times during the movie; the lyrics of which deal with someone dying. Lead singer Patrick Monahan has stated that the song was inspired by his late mother, who had died after a struggle with cancer. It is apt.

Other People is writer Chris Kelly's first big screen outing as director. He is also currently an Emmy-nominated Co-Head Writer at "Saturday Night Live". Other People debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016. Molly Shannon won Best Supporting Female at the 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards while Jesse Plemons was nominated for Best Male Lead; Chris Kelly for Best First Screenplay and all deservedly so.

Above all this is a human drama. Multi-layered, the story is about the illness and death of the family's mother from cancer. It also deals with the father's reaction and his lack of acceptance of his son being gay. To borrow a line from Captain Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – "how we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life"

Have the tissues ready.

A solid 4 out of 5.