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The Perfect Family

  • 2011
  • PG-13
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel, Michael McGrady, Jason Ritter, and Angelique Cabral in The Perfect Family (2011)
A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of her church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
23 Photos
ComedyDrama

A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who the... Read allA devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.

  • Director
    • Anne Renton
  • Writers
    • Paula Goldberg
    • Claire V. Riley
  • Stars
    • Kathleen Turner
    • Emily Deschanel
    • Jason Ritter
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Anne Renton
    • Writers
      • Paula Goldberg
      • Claire V. Riley
    • Stars
      • Kathleen Turner
      • Emily Deschanel
      • Jason Ritter
    • 29User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:19
    U.S. Version

    Photos23

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    + 17
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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Kathleen Turner
    Kathleen Turner
    • Eileen Cleary
    Emily Deschanel
    Emily Deschanel
    • Shannon Cleary
    Jason Ritter
    Jason Ritter
    • Frank Jr.
    Richard Chamberlain
    Richard Chamberlain
    • Monsignor Murphy
    Michael McGrady
    Michael McGrady
    • Frank Cleary
    Shannon Cochran
    Shannon Cochran
    • Mary Donovan
    Sharon Lawrence
    Sharon Lawrence
    • Agnes Dunn
    Angelique Cabral
    Angelique Cabral
    • Angela Reyes
    Elizabeth Peña
    Elizabeth Peña
    • Christina Reyes
    Gregory Zaragoza
    Gregory Zaragoza
    • Louis Reyes
    Kristen Dalton
    Kristen Dalton
    • Theresa Henessy
    Laura Cerón
    Laura Cerón
    • Carmelita
    Scott Michael Campbell
    Scott Michael Campbell
    • Father Joe
    Hansford Rowe
    Hansford Rowe
    • Bishop Donnelly
    Rebecca Wackler
    Rebecca Wackler
    • Sister Joan
    June Squibb
    June Squibb
    • Mrs. Punch
    Bess Meisler
    • Greta Russert
    Mandy June Turpin
    Mandy June Turpin
    • Susan O'Connor
    • Director
      • Anne Renton
    • Writers
      • Paula Goldberg
      • Claire V. Riley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    5.61.6K
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    Featured reviews

    8amberbaer

    Kathleen Turner, a real actress in a sea of bland

    Despite the reviews that say it's an anti-Catholic movie, it's not. It's a movie about a family, and the mother happens to be Catholic and struggling between her reality and the reality of the church to which she belongs....which happens to be Catholic.

    Just sit back and watch the movie - it's got some nice, thought-provoking dialog and if you have to tear a movie down because it makes you ask questions....then maybe you should focus on your own life and stop watching movies!

    Mister Ritter is also a treat to watch, so much like his father, who would be proud to see what a nice actor his son has become.
    8aussiefilmlover

    A film about what it means to be a REAL Catholic

    As a person raised in a strict Catholic community it warmed my heart to see this movie. I wish it was shown at every Catholic church in the world because the acceptance and forgiveness in this movie is more in keeping with the teachings of Christ than the hate that is spewed by the sheep in his name. How anyone could think this is anti-catholic when it is all about what it means to be a real follower of Jesus and about God's love for all his creations. The only unbelievable thing was that the mother would be able to forgive herself and accept her children when the reality is many Catholics will reject and harm their children rather than question their self-serving dogma.
    6SnoopyStyle

    not anti-Catholic in the least

    Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) is desperate to be the best Catholic in the neighborhood. So it's great news when she's nominated for Catholic Woman of the year. Except her family is a mess of inappropriateness and she needs to be better than all the rest for the award. Her lesbian daughter Shannon (Emily Deschanel) is pregnant. Her son Frank Cleary Jr. (Jason Ritter) left his wife and kids for the beautician next door. Her husband Frank Cleary (Michael McGrady) can't stand her.

    This is not anti-Catholic in my opinion. It is much more anti-competition to see who's the best Catholic. It's the competition that's ugly. The central theme is acceptance. After all, she wins the award even when all is revealed. Kathleen Turner's character is too harsh and unlikeable. It's hard to watch sometimes. However, it was nice to watch her character grow.
    JohnDeSando

    The Church's imperfections affectionately told.

    As a fallen-down Catholic with reservations about the Church, I wasn't prepared for an even-tempered story about a devout mother, Eileen (Kathleen Turner) facing a family at odds with some basic Church doctrines. While I still stay away, I found The Perfect Family wise about the devotion of true believers and wary of extremists.

    Eileen has been nominated for Catholic Woman of the Year (disclosure: one of my former wives was elected Vermont Catholic Mother of the Year—a true irony). In order to impress the archbishop, she must show an exemplary family. Not easy, as she discovers a son about to divorce and a daughter marrying a woman and having a child. Modern as these situations are, they are not acceptable to the teachings of the church about the sanctity of marriage and children born of that union. The film gently but assuredly moves Eileen's life along just as you might expect it to go with any contemporary Catholic family facing decisions.

    Although the denouement is too pat, it doesn't deviate too much from what might really happen, and with a little surprise accompanying it all. Kathleen Turner provides the right amount of hyper-ventilation when faced with the truth of her children's situations and her formerly alcoholic husband. Richard Chamberlain as Monsignor Murphy shows director Anne Renton's sense of humor using an actor who played a randy prelate in The Thorn Birds. In Catholic town, nothing is as it seems except for my very real indoctrination by the Sisters of Saint Joseph.
    7unsolicitedmale

    Not nearly as bad as the score and some reviews make it out to be

    I'm surprised at such a low score for this movie! First, please know that I was born, baptized, and raised Catholic. I've since moved to another religion, but not for any "Catholic hate" reasons at all. So I have a STRONG knowledge of Catholicism. It seems MOST of the negative reviews claim it's "Christian/Catholic bashing"... I would wonder how many of those folks actually WATCHED it or just wrote a review based on a presupposed notion. There is NO Christian bashing at all IMO. Just portraying people such as I've known all my life the way they are, and the portrayal isn't bad in any way, as far as I'm concerned.

    Overall it's very balanced - yeah there's a few potshots at Catholics ("I don't have to think... I'm Catholic") but overall, the portrayal is VERY accurate to my Catholic upbringing and those in the faith I know today. Sure, hardly ANY nuns still wear the habit - but it's just little things. By and large the portrayal I thought was fair on ALL SIDES, not only for the Catholics but all the other characters.

    I'll be honest and say I FULLY EXPECTED a "Christians are stupid knuckle dragging Neanderthals" flick - I expected to shut it off half way through. Instead, I watched the whole thing and rather enjoyed it.

    The movie itself actually plays quite well - Kathleen Turner takes a bit of getting used to because of her very deep, manly voice... but overall, it has a nicely done "indie" feel to it in every way.

    No, it's NOT an award contender in any way - some of the acting is rather stiff and forced, the plot is predictable, and there are quite a few clichés and stereotypes. But it's VERY watchable, totally held my attention, was touching in places, and ENJOYABLE to watch right up to the end for me.

    Give it a shot - don't let the negative reviews implying it's a "Christian bashing" flick deter you.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All entries contain spoilers
    • Goofs
      At 13 minutes, when Eileen tells her husband that she is nominated, she places two letters in a box on a table in the house. At the next shot, when she walks to the camera into the living room, you see in the background that the two letters lie differently in the box.
    • Quotes

      Eileen Cleary: I don't have to think! I'm Catholic!

    • Soundtracks
      Gravity
      Written by Simon Perry, and Dave Thomas Junior

      Performed by Dave Thomas Junior

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    FAQ19

    • How long is The Perfect Family?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 6, 2012 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Watch on Fearless
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La familia perfecta
    • Filming locations
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    • Production companies
      • Certainty Films
      • Present Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $110,313
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $14,300
      • May 6, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $110,313
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 24m(84 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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