Characters Are People Too

The Savages

Roger Ebert writes "The Savages confronts a day that may come in all of our lives. Two days, actually, the first when we are younger, the second when we are older." 

I couldn't have put it better myself. 

Writer/Director Tamara Jenkins (The Slums of Beverly Hills) brilliantly portray two seasoned (and a bit self centered) adult siblings that have to suddenly make certain decisions on their elderly father's behalf when his elderly girlfriend passes away and as he writes on the walls with his own excrement. As unbearable as it is to hear (referring to the writings on the wall), that is probably the only unwatchable part of the movie.  

Philip Seymore Hoffman (Capote) and Laura Linney (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) are two characters that I couldn't find myself too empathetic for at first. They are both very intelligent creatures with promising careers in the dramatic arts, but their characteristics steer well away from the successful single blonde working for a magazine in corporate New York City or the hot shot lawyer/doctor who unknowingly wants to find love in a sea of one night stands. These characters are human. They bear the burden that most people either witness or bear themselves. This is a burden that we are all too familiar with.

What is interesting about The Savages is witnessing the specific decisions they make to better care for their father. I'm sure a great part of the audience will be curious about "other" people handle this situation as opposed to themselves. I say this because decisions like these are very lonely, whether one has siblings or not. It's these lonely decisions that may contribute to or complete the "growing up" process.

I'm giving this film a "see it" review because I think this is a very important portrayal of what so many have to go through. It reminds myself that even at the age 26, I still have growing up to do, and there will be a time when my face will probably be shoved into it.