La Famille Hollar

Directed by and starring John Krasinski this family comedy with a few tears hits all the right marks.

From family fisticuffs in the hospital room to indulging mom's sweet tooth for dipping pretzels into ice cream for breakfast - this family has got a lot of heart.

The family rallies when Sally Hollar begins having seizures and needs brain surgery. What follows is a family coming back together and smoothing out misunderstandings. There are zany madcap moments that will make you laugh and cry. Worth a view.

This film tells the story of a family who is troubled by many misfortunes, including the father's business going badly, the mother having cancer, the older son coping with divorce and the younger son doing a job he dislikes.

Despite the multiple misfortunes, "The Hollars" remain light hearted, optimistic and cheerful. They show human emotions appropriate to the situations, and is not over the top. Attributing the mother's symptoms to a weight issue is quite funny, but believable at the same time. The thing about these characters is that they face real problems and have realistic reactions. I have sympathy for the characters because they are relatable to the viewers. The ending is quite funny, sweet and sad all at the same time. It also reminds us to live life to the most.

There can never be enough films of the nature of THE HOLLARS to keep us all sane in the midst of world chaos and cinematic apocalyptic explosions and car chases and burning buildings. Jim Strouse has written a comedy drama about the importance of family and John Krasinski directs a stellar cast in this warm fuzzy hilarious and ultimate deeply moving film.

The setting is a small town in middle America – Ohio – where we meet the Hollars – a family consisting of a father, Don (Richard Jenkins) whose business is on the verge of bankruptcy, son Ron (Sharlto Copley) who is jobless and pines for his ex-wife Stacey (Ashley Dyke) and their children (Ron divorced them and regrets it and stalks them), Stacey's new husband Reverend Dan (Josh Groban), a school chum Jason (Charlie Day) who married the left behind sweetheart of John (John Krasinski) – a NYC artist of graphic novels who has left his live-in pregnant girlfriend Rebecca (Anna Kendrick) to visit his ill mother Sally (Margo Martindale). Old secrets arise, communications falter, and the family nearly implodes when it is discovered that Sally has a brain tumor. Rebecca comes to the Hollar home to be supportive and encounters a dysfunctional family that is both frustrating and entirely lovable and the manner in which each of these disparate characters comes together is the beauty of the film.

Simple story, very well written, acted by a first class ensemble of characters (Margo Martindale shines!) and directed with sensitivity – and it all works well. Try leaving the film with a dry eye – 'it's okay.'

Don't be fooled by the categorisation of the film on the In Flight Entertainment channel. It's not just a comedy as advertised but a honest, tear jerking yet funny and thought provoking film. The honesty of the movie has me examined my relationship with my own parents - have I spend enough time with them? care about them as much I should? The love and marriage the older Hollars have is something we should all want and work towards to.

The actors did a phenomenal job portraying their characters - bringing them to life, making my heart wrench with what is happening to them and having me invested all 90 minutes to find out how the story pans out in the end.

Highly recommend watching this if you're tired of watching all the big money Hollywood films and is looking for something refreshing to watch.

John Krasinski's feature directorial debut, #TheHollars is one of this year's must-see films, it's the most honest and hilarious dysfunctional family comedy I've seen in recent years. Perfect ensemble cast, especially the great Margo Martindale whose performance has Oscar written all over it.

Krasinski plays a struggling NYC artist named John Hollar who hates his job and has a rich and caring pregnant girlfriend (Anna Kendrick). John returns to his small mid-America hometown upon hearing the news of his mother's (Margo Martingale) illness. But coming back isn't easy because it brings up not only old pains between family members but also high school rivalry and other anxieties. Co-starring Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Josh Groan and Randall Park.

I think it all stems from Jim Strouse's script that gives us a look at a family that is reflective of the ones we the audiences have. The story just flows naturally becomes I think it comes from a very real and truthful place. You don't have to have grown up in small town U.S.A. and you can still relate to the banter, the anger, the argument, the jealousy, and the heartbreak. The comedy in "The Hollars" is so ferocious so whenever the drama does kick in, you feel it all the much stronger. All the actors involved did a phenomenal job of having an emotional impact on you, especially Margo Martindale whom I've always considered to be a national treasure, in "The Hollars," she gets to unleash her fullest potential, it's as if everything she ever did her career over the years had led her up to this defining moment, what a remarkable actress. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll find hope in "The Hollars." -- Rama's Screen --