Review of Familiar Strangers (2008) by Elaine P — 30 Nov 2008

[u]Familiar Strangers[/u] is a touchingly realistic independent movie from Cavalier Films. Although the theme belongs in the dysfunctional-family-holiday genre, this film avoids the slapstick and extreme pathos of other such films and instead presents a quietly truthful portrait of how siblings and parents struggle to relate to each other as they all become defined adults.

The aging and increasingly ailing dog, Argus, serves as a focal point of family discourse as the adult children struggle to agree on who should be the one to put the dog out of its misery. The eventual solution to the problem of Argus reveals the rigid views in which parents and children have defined their familial world: the oldest son, the only daughter, the instigating younger brother.

But what sets this film apart from others of the genre is that there is no exploding, in-your-face moment that rises to a screaming crescendo. Instead, the genuine interactions of the characters glide to a gently satisfying conclusion that leaves you glad you left the beaten track to see this film.