Die Geschwister Savage (2007)

Die Geschwister Savage: Directed by Tamara Jenkins. With Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco, Peter Friedman. A sister and brother face the realities of familial responsibility as they begin to care for their ailing father.

“u0026quot;The Savagesu0026quot; has been terribly mismarketed. Iu0026#39;m sure plenty of people who went to watch it having seen only the previews, thought it was a comedy, and were disappointed. If anything, this is a u0026quot;dramedyu0026quot; – it will make you smile a few times, but never laugh out loud. But thatu0026#39;s not a bad thing, the other way around.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is a story about two siblings, Wendy (Laura Linney, who earned a surprise – and much deserved – Oscar nomination for this performance) and Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who have to take care of their ailing, estranged father, Lenny (Philip Bosco). Fathers and kids relationships have been discussed in tons of movies, but Tamara Jenkins (real life wife of Jim Taylor, co-author of Alexander Payneu0026#39;s scripts – they both produced this movie, by the way) managed to create something fresh and beautiful in its own simplicity (and, at the same time, so complex and painfully real, for all of those whou0026#39;ve had difficult family relationships – and who hasnu0026#39;t?). u0026quot;The Savagesu0026quot; reminds me of Noah Baumbachu0026#39;s u0026quot;The Squid and the Whaleu0026quot;, also starring Laura Linney – but with a little less humor, and perhaps even more heart. Hoffman and Bosco are also great, as usual. Jenkins proves that sheu0026#39;s a very sensitive writer/director, and Iu0026#39;m excited to check whatever she does next. Iu0026#39;m rooting for either her or Diablo Cody (u0026quot;Junou0026quot;) to win the Oscar for best original screenplay next month (coincidentally, both movies have The Velvet Undergroundu0026#39;s u0026quot;Iu0026#39;m Sticking With Youu0026quot; in the soundtrack). 10/10.”