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Family relationships are frequently fraught with emotional landmines that leave life long scars. With the Savages, the new film written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, we have a portrait of a long dysfunctional family. John and Wendy Savage have long been estranged from their abusive father Lenny Savage. One day however, they receive a phone call that their father’s girlfriend of long standing has just died and her family would no longer tolerate his living with them. To complicate matters, he is suffering from the beginnings of dementia. They have no choice but to find a place for him and to care for him. As the movie progresses, we gradually learn of the devastating effects of their father’s abuse. John is a professor struggling to write his first novel while Wendy takes part time jobs while she writes her play. Both are unable to sustain long relationships with other people. Despite all their personal troubles however, they take on the responsibility for their father. Not an easy thing since that Lenny remains an unlikeable character with the illness bringing out the worst in him.
This is by no means a feel good movie. Instead it is well crafted, brilliantly acted one filled with moments of bracing clarity and even, great humor. In this kind of movie which could easily become overly melodramatic and hysterical, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney who play John and Wendy, succeed in giving highly nuanced performances that make the audience root for them despite their faults. Through their portrayal, we see how they learn to deal with the issues that have long haunted them and to rediscover the other as an ally. There are also moments of great humor that can only come from real life. It is a true reflection of the saying that comedy and drama are but two sides of the same coin.