A Family Affair

The writing is not altogether that bad--the jokes definitely have their niche and will be entertaining to its intended audience.

Let's just say that, without looking at any of the credits, I could tell that it was one of those movies where the director had cast herself as the lead role. I was not convinced by Helen Lesniak's performance as a romantic lead. She does well with the sarcasm...and that's about it. The fact that she looked to be the same age as her on-screen mother was distracting, frankly.

And it sounds horrible but the whole time I was thinking, "How did she land a babe like Eric Shaffer?"

On just about every level. This is one of the worst lesbian movies ever made (although Claire of the Moon and that John Sayles movie, Lianna, are pretty good contenders as well). Dreadful writing -- cliche upon cliche, that hackneyed talk-to-the-camera shtick, it just goes on and on. And yet she thinks she's clever? Helen Lesnick cannot act and looks to be at least 15 years older than her character claims to be. Bad editing. A cheaply done movie and it looks it. Just bad bad bad. Are we sure this movie wasn't made in the early 80s for film school class?

You want a good lesbian movie, go see the Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love. Go Fish. Bound. Just about anything is better than this waste of celluloid, videotape, bits, whatever.

"A Family Affair" is all about Rachel (Lesnick) who runs from a broken relationship in NY to San Diego where she falls for Christine (Shaffer) only to have her ex try to get her back...etc. Lesnick put this little indie together single handedly and it shows. The film is fraught with deficits including hackneyed material, trite dramatic or flip Woodyesque dialogue, stiff delivery, cost cutting everywhere, and Lesnick really belongs behind the lens. In spite of all that, I was marginally engrossed post climax in the drama of the denouement when the flick consolidates itself and finally gets real. Recommended for anyone who's interested in a romantic comedy about a woman who just happens to be gay. (C+)

This appallingly contrived and humorless film about a Jewish lesbian who has two attractive women battling over her contains only one intriguing aspect: how Helen Lesnick (who wrote, directed and stars - all ineptly) managed to raise the funds to make this nonsense. Lesnick's heavy-handed, witless screenplay would have us believe that her obnoxious, self-absorbed and physically unappealing character would have two strikingly beautiful women battling over her without any indication of what each sees in this tiresome woman.

The sole bright spot is the radiant presence of Erica Shaffer, whose iridescent smile and warm personality brightens an otherwise pointless film. But casting such an attractive actress as the woman who would not only put up with having to duke it out with another woman to keep the relationship going, but is willing to convert to Judaisim for her love makes the situation all the more implausible. Lesnick is not only an untalented actress, but lacks the physical attractiveness to explain why such a beautiful woman would give her a second glance, much less make her her life-mate. Casting an actress more in Lesnick's league would have given the film a little more plausibility, but it also would have robbed it of the only reason to watch it in the first place. It also would have denied Lesnick the ego trip of playing love scenes with such a beautiful woman, which seems to have been the only reason for her to have made the film at all.

I read about the video in a Wolfe Video brochure. Bought the DVD and am very pleased with the film. I like the way Ms.Lesnick matched up the actors and actresses with the characters. If you are not Jewish (which I am not) there may be a few things that need explaining. The dish of parsley at the beginning of the Sadar for one. Even though she points out her mistakes in her comments and on the bonus video that came with the film, I think she did a tremendous job for a first time effort. I live on 10 acres in the southern tier of NY. Needless to say neighbors are few and far between. My enjoyment comes from viewing a collection of lesbian DVD's I have started. I put A Family Affair in the top 5 of my collection. I watch it often. I think Helen Lesnick is a gifted writer and film maker. I look forward to seeing more of her talents develop on the screen. Keep up the good work.