Review of The Savages (2007) by Caspar R — 13 Dec 2009
The Savages is a very dramatic film that also manages to be quite funny. There are laugh-out-loud moments here, and a quirkiness to every scene that keeps the pace fresh and the ideas accessible, without making any of it feel dry. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman deserve recognition for two of the most human and realistic performances ever captured on film.
Ultimately, however, The Savages is sort of flat. It is too perfect at being the artsy, imprecisely wrapped-up, indirect film that it is. Although it gives us opportunities to enjoy the interactions between the two very interesting main characters, it is not always so easy to figure out what the purpose behind that is. At times, it feels llike we're peering into someone's life, and while that's got its charm, the film forgets it has responsibilities as a film beyond being genuine.
Certainly, The Savages is genuine if nothing else. It makes you sad without letting you cry. It talks about real life issues. And it manages to amuse. You must watch this movie one day, but just don't expect too much from it because that will be where it lets you down.
This review of The Savages (2007) was written by Caspar R on 13 Dec 2009.
The Savages has generally received positive reviews.
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