Familiar Strangers

My wife said we should go see this film when it was being shown at a local film festival. I did not know what I going to see or to expect. I thought it was going to be a 15-minute short amateur effort. What I saw was one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in years. A story about a family (emphasis on story and family) and not a big budget film where the special effects were the best thing in the film. It is a film that tells in a light hearted way the story of a disjointed family. As in any family, dysfunctional seems to be normality. In truth, the family members do not know the 'real person' in each other, hence the title, "Familiar Strangers." The story is set in a small rural Virginia town that fills in for anywhere, USA because the characters will seem, well, like some of our own close neighbors or family members.

Georgia Mae Lively's performance as Maddy tells me that we will be seeing her in more films in the future. Each character was wonderfully acted and believable. The level of acting made each character seem real and brings you into the film. This is what a movie is supposed to do. Suspend reality and emotionally pull you into the characters' lives. The story has twists and turns that keep you hanging on to each line to ensure you don't miss anything.

In today's whiz-bang world, I found the pace to be a bit slow, which is why I gave this film only a 9 of 10 stars. I do want to get a copy of this movie on DVD so I can watch it again and see if I missed some nuance. The only sad part is that this movie has not yet found a distributor and is only being shown at small film events. I hope it does so I can tell my friends and family a nice way to spend time with someone you love.

Familiar Strangers tells the story of the Worthington's family. Brian ( Shawn Hatosy) is the older brother who left a long time ago to pursue his dreams and ambitions. He ended up writing a technical book but feels like he hasn't archived much.When he returns home, he tries to re-connect with his family but his father Frank (Tom Bower ) is still angry at him for leaving and not helping with the family business, his brother Kenny (DJ Qualls) refuses to grow up,his sister Erin (Cameron Richardson) is falling to pieces after a failed marriage and his mother Dottie (Ann Dowd) is trying to keep the family together. On top of this,Frank seems to have replaced his estranged son with a dog. The Worthington's manage to re-connect over a game of donkey ball and Brian tries to help his family as much as he can before he leaves again.Familiar Strangers seemed to have all the right ingredients but didn't really worked. This small indie tries to capture the everyday life and the family dynamics but due to some awkward dialog and bad direction it falls flat.The script is not very solid and the narrative seems to disperse every now and then. Also Shawn Hatosy character lacks charisma and personality which makes hard to relate to him. Good performance by Tom Bower as Frank,the patriarch though. In conclusion, a weak and poorly directed film that had some potential but didn't deliver.

6/10

Quiet. Thoughtful. Funny. Meaningful.

It is a story of a family like many I know, dealing with all of the baggage that family relationships contain. This could sound boring to some, but give it a chance and it will creep up on you until you find that you care deeply. This film works surprisingly well in a genre that is well mined. It could have reeked of boredom but instead it is fresh in its approach.

Comparable to Little Miss sunshine and Juno, but not as contrived. Just real, meaningful entertainment. I rate a 9 out of 10 as the opening act could be more engrossing, but give it a chance and you will be rewarded.

This film masterfully avoids the Hollywood glitz and hype (and message-drivenness of late) by following the antics of a slightly dysfunctional but not ridiculous American family. (no 'Royal Tenenbaums' here) The scenes are 'everyday' and easy to relate to while carrying meaning, engaging and moving the audience forward.

The "everyman" sense you get from the father especially and the "everytown" feeling you get from their small town really connect with almost anyone from a "real" family with generic problems.

Good script and casting.... love the "D-ball" town rivalry and simplicity of relationships - in all their evolving glory. The awkwardness and sports-talk speaks volumes of truth about the divide yet understandings between generations.

I can't believe this was produced on a low-budget. Really a breath of fresh air, this year. See and support this film! I hope we can see more of these produced.

Why different? It is harrd to say. It is quiet in its approach and gives you time to enter the world of the characters. it gives you time to know them, and to figure out their motivations without caterring to the lowest common denominator. By the end, I was loving this film and wishing there were more like it.

It seems that the story was real in every way. There weren't many people in the theater when I was there but I heard great comments from others when we left.

The acting was great, especially the dad and mom. I laughed and cried and was glad I came. Will definitely recommend.