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Chicago – The opening moments of Anne Renton’s feature debut, “The Perfect Family,” paint a typically cheery portrait of suburbia, complete with a sign displaying the generic tagline, “An Enjoyable Town.” It’s the sort of neighborhood audiences have seen countless times before in indies aiming to depict the “dark side” of small town America, a la “Blue Velvet.”

When uptight Catholic server, Eileen (Kathleen Turner), accidentally spills a handful of communion wafers and secretly shoves them in her mouth with the exquisite clumsiness of Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory, I was fully prepared for this film to devolve into a caustic slice of familial dysfunction along the lines of “Another Happy Day,” populated with shrill stereotypes and Puritanical basket cases. “The Perfect Family” could’ve easily been that movie, but it isn’t. In fact, it’s a much more tender and thoughtful picture than one would expect.

Director: Anne Renton Writers: Paula Goldberg, Claire V. Riley Starring: Emily Deschanel, Jason Ritter, Kathleen Turner, Richard Chamberlain, Elizabeth Peña, Michael McGrady, Sharon Lawrence, Kristen Dalton, Scott Michael Campbell, Angelique Cabral With The Perfect Family, director Anne Renton poses the age old question: aren't Catholics silly? They have a holier than thou attitude because they go to church so frequently and do penance just as often. They strive for sainthood and obey every word of their supreme leader, the Pope. They also believe that their god is the cause of everything that happens to them (no matter if its good or bad) because its all part of their god's plan; in turn, they tend to say a lot of prayers for everything and everyone. Eileen (Kathleen Turner) is one such dedicated Catholic; in fact, she is so devout that she has been nominated as a contender for Catholic Woman of the Year.

Variance Films has released the first trailer for The Perfect Family, director Anne Renton's dramatic comedy which hits theaters May 4. Kathleen Turner stars as a suburban mother who has hidden her bizarre family away from her church, until she goes up for the Catholic Woman of the Year title, which forces her to bring them out of the woodwork. Take a look at The Perfect Family.

The Perfect Family: Trailer

Suburban mother and devout Catholic Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) has always kept up appearances. When she runs for the Catholic Woman of the Year title at her local parish-an award she has coveted for years - her final test is introducing her family to the board for the seal of approval. Now she must finally face the nonconformist family she has been glossing over for years. Her gay daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel), a successful lawyer, is about to...