Familiar Strangers

This is a somewhat odd comedy, but it actually works very well for most parts, it is a strange family, some strange characters, a strange plot/story and all-in-all a strange or odd movie.

There are many things in this that works out, it is a lot of small events that form the bigger picture and it is strangely intriguing, maybe because some of the small events will be something you will recognize from yourself or your family. It is all these small quirks and strange acts that makes this film work and make it realistic and believable.

The pace is slow but homely, the characters could have been some from your family or home town and it is funny and entertaining in its own way.

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.

I saw this film with no expectations one evening with my boyfriend and we were both pleasantly surprised. The story is eerily familiar as the characters are not-such-strangers since they can remind you of your own acquaintances...a fun yet frightening realization. My one criticism would be that there seems to be some parts that lack soundtrack or background noises. Maybe this was a creative decision to force us to focus on the uncomfortable moments?

This movie is a fantastic portrayal of the beauty in family dysfunction. Witty and sometimes painful, this film has you falling in love with its characters before you even realize it. A great movie with a great message! I definitely recommend watching this fun film!

Greetings again from the darkness. Small indie movie that tries to capture the frustration, pain and struggles we each face in the slow evolution of role within an aging family. While not at the level of "Junebug", it does deliver some excellent moments, situations and dialogue.

I first noticed Shawn Hatosy in the underrated "Outside Providence" and have enjoyed his work in "The Cooler" and "Nobel Son". His desire to re-connect with a Dad, who is crushed that his son chose to move to the city rather than run the family hardware store, is realistic and well played. Tom Brewer is excellent as the distant dad, even though he is a dead ringer of Billy Bob Thornton in "Swing Blade". Quirky DJ Qualls delivers the zingers and quips in fine fashion, Anna Paquin lookalike Cameron Richardson plays the bitter, recently divorced sister who just can't get it together. The mom (Ann Dowd) continues to do what she has always done ... act as the protector for her family, shielding them from bad news (such as the death of a relative!).

This typically dysfunctional family does manage to re-connect over a game of donkey ball at the annual fair. That's quite an event. Still despite the solid nature of John Bell's script, I constantly had the feeling that I was watching an amateur film. This was mostly due to the choppiness of Zachary Adler's direction. The numerous close-ups actually reduced the intimacy of many moments in the film. Worth seeing, but not at the level of "Juno" or "Little Miss Sunshine" as it is being advertised.

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.