A Family Thing

1996 "With family, everything is relative."

A Family Thing

7.1 | 1h49m | PG-13 | en | Drama

Earl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.

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7.1 | 1h49m | PG-13 | en | Drama , Comedy | More Info

Released: March. 29,1996 | Released Producted By: United Artists , Butcher's Run Films Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Robert Duvall , James Earl Jones , Michael Beach

Director

James Nedza

Producted By

United Artists , Butcher's Run Films

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Trailers & Images

Cast

Robert Duvall

as Earl Pilcher Jr.

Hustle 12 Mighty Orphans Ye Sxn Goes to Chick-Fil-A The Golden Hour: Making of Days of Thunder Widows In Dubious Battle Wild Horses The Judge A Night in Old Mexico

James Earl Jones

as Ray Murdock

Coming 2 America The Lion King Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage Warning Shot The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Milius Gimme Shelter Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey

Michael Beach

as Virgil

Kingdom Business The Devil You Know Immanence Midnight in the Switchgrass Superintelligence Inheritance Truth Be Told Foster Boy Rim of the World

Reviews

Film Watchin Fool Watch this if...you are in the mood for a movie with a nice message that is superbly acted. It tackles many racial issues and is entertaining, but drags a bit toward the end.Acting/Casting: 8* - Great casting and Duvall and Jones are gold in the lead roles. The supporting cast does a good job as well and this is really the strong point of the film.Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 6* - I felt that the scenes taking place in Arkansas felt much more real than those in Chicago. The flashback scenes were done very well and overall the directing was on par. My biggest complaint would be the last 20 minutes of the film that seemed to drag a bit.Plot/Characters: 7* - Very well written story and message by Billy Bob Thornton concerning racism and passing judgment on those we don't actually know or get to know. It is a somewhat far fetched plot, but the irony and underlying premise is good.Entertainment Value: 6* - I enjoyed the film and the acting really carries the movie. There isn't a ton going on in the film, but it manages to keep your attention. A good show, but it will likely be a few years before I sit down to view this again.My Score: 8+6+7+6 = 27/4 = 6.75Email your thoughts to filmwatchinfool@gmail.com

xredgarnetx Robert Duvall plays an aging Southerner who discovers he has a half-brother -- and worse, their mother was black! He journeys to Chicago to meet his half-brother (James Earl Jones), who is as shaken as he to discover their connection. The blind Aunt T. (Irma Hall), who lives with Jones, helps the two men sort out their differences. A familiar TV face, Michael Beach, plays Jones' grown son, who is dealing with personal problems and not exactly overjoyed to have a white man -- worse, a bona fide cracker -- in the family. Duvall walks away with this one. He is amazing. At one point, after having been carjacked and beaten and wandering off from Jones in anger and hurt feelings, he finds himself in a bar where he drunkenly invites himself to join a table of folks celebrating one of the ladies' birthdays. They're black, and his redneck, incorrect way of talking to them becomes painful to hear. He is that convincing. The last shot of the movie, which is absolutely precious, has Aunt T. walking away from the camera, headed for the market. Veteran movie and TV director Richard Pearce made this from a script cowritten by Billy Bob Thornton. A must-see.

flanner Another delightful collaboration of Robert Duvall and Billy Bob Thornton. How refreshing it is to be treated to non-Hollywood type characters that the viewer can identify with. Jones and Duvall are splendid, but like another reviewer says, the show stealer is Irma P. Hall.

Boyo-2 I love this movie very much. I wish more people saw it, and also that Irma P. Hall got a nomination, because she was fantastic and memorable. I thought everyone else in the cast was great, too, but Hall steals the movie from her more-famous co-stars.