The Savages

This film written and directed by Tamara Jenkins takes a different look at families with problems when tells about two siblings that have to deal with their estranged and sick father that they haven’t seen for many years. The difference is that is told with a simple story with no dramatics and some humor; yet, you can see and feel how difficult is everything for everyone. Then in my opinion the story is more about educated damaged adults that have a hard time dealing with all kinds of relationships due to a damage childhood.

What the movie really has is two outstanding performances by Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman, not only they’re absolutely credible, but also their characterizations allow you to understand beyond what is said and you end up with excellent character development via their silent performances too. Consequently this also means that the director was able to extract from her actors two magnificent performances and for this and a well written screenplay I say chapeau to Jenkins.

Laura Linney got an Oscar nomination for this role at the 2008 Academy Awards and she totally deserves it; I just cannot understand why Philip Seymour Hoffman didn’t got one too for this role, but then I remember that he got an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Charlie Wilson’s War, so perhaps they gave him the Oscar more for his body of work during 2007 than for that specific role that impressed me less than his role here. Tamara Jenkins was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2008 Academy Awards. All three have other wins and nominations in many fests and awards allover the world.

This multiple award film is one that adult audiences that enjoy a well done smart written and straight forward drama with excellent performances will surely like as much as I did.

Enjoy!!!