Relative

I absolutely love this film. Michael Glover Smith's style, writing and direction is warm, inviting, funny, clever yet not cheesy or predictable at all. The production is very high quality for an independent film. The real sites in Chicago made this tiny universe feel lived in and real. The editing was smooth yet not over-produced. There were wonderful references to music, movies, literature and theatre peppered throughout. The acting is SUPERB. From seasoned veterans like Wendy Robie and Francis Guinan, who brought gravitas to newcomers like Elizabeth Stam who was delightful. Emily Lape, a filmmaker in her own right, brought a sweetness and sadness to the ensemble that was mesmerizing. I also loved the little moments from the extras like "Skokie man," Hopleaf bartender and Norma's Daughter. Go see this film, in the theatre. It's stunning. Don't you dare miss it!

How interesting. I'm the first person here who didn't rate the film an 8 or higher. That's kinda weird. It's almost like everybody who left reviews were friends or family of people who were involved with the film. Hmmm...

Now that we got that out of the way, here's my review. It's a cute little indie film set in Chicago. It's ver slice of life-ish. But honestly, not a lot actually happens in the film. I thought the acting was okay. Not great. Not bad. Probably the weakest part of the movie was the writing. It could have been better A good part of the dialogue was pretty stilted and didn't feel natural.

But overall, I thought it was decent. Just didn't grab my attention and I found myself fast forwarding to get to the end. And in the end, not a lot really happened.

Michael Glover Smith's fourth film and his best yet. He very confidently juggles a large ensemble of characters, giving each one their own choice moments without it feeling contrived. They're all recognizable, flawed human beings sketched out with compassion. But he also doesn't offer excuses for anyone's behavior. And his cinematic technique "feels" very restrained and understated, so that when he does reach for a special moment it doesn't feel like he's just showing off. (A beautiful "circle of time" shot which captures the transition of time passing is only one example.) This straightforward quality keeps everything grounded. The entire cast is excellent; Wendy Robie's touching and warm-hearted portrayal of the family's matriarch will surely open the eyes of many viewers who know her only from Nadine on "Twin Peaks." Bravo.

I saw this last night and it was great. A great assemble piece of incredible Chicago acting talent. Each of Micheal's films explore relationships, family and always has satisfying endings.

The movie was the perfect balance of comedy and drama. I found the characters to be very interesting with real and relatable storylines. It felt like watching a real reunion with authentic dialogue, not something that was unrealistic or inauthentic. Definitely worth a watch!

The movie was the perfect balance of comedy and drama. I found the characters to be very interesting with real and relatable storylines. It felt like watching a real reunion with authentic dialogue, not something that was unrealistic or inauthentic. Definitely worth a watch!

The movie was the perfect balance of comedy and drama. I found the characters to be very interesting with real and relatable storylines. It felt like watching a real reunion with authentic dialogue, not something that was unrealistic or inauthentic. Definitely worth a watch!