stunt-797-75665
After half an hour STILL I didn't know what was all about so it's amateurish.
Hirsch is miscast heavily & he should stay in comedy genre. Ensemble movies? They are all failures incl. this one BORING piece of cry pseudodrama. Also that's too theatrical for a movie. You'd hate all characters. FAIL.
Michael
I was able to see a preview of the final cut of this film before it went out to theaters. I didn't have many expectations. Judd Hirsch is a name I recognize and didn't really know anyone else. I figured that it could be interesting with the usual amateurish bits that come with low budget films. Well, this one must have spent a ton of time in editing because each time I was expecting a lull, the film kept you moving and engaged.Without saying too much, the premise is a birthday party for the dying father, afflicted with terminal cancer. His family consists of his devoted wife, his biological son and three adopted children. His oldest adopted child is acting strangely and complains of nightmares and has become obsessed with finding a buried urn. He's convinced that his adoptive father, a world renowned psychologist, has kept some secrets from the family. And it is about time that Dad confessed to the whole family the real truth about what kind of psychological work he performed with patients - birthday or not. I half expected the film to become a bit sloppy towards the ending, as most do in this genre, but I was very pleasantly surprised that it is tied up quite neatly and in satisfactory fashion. There shouldn't be any groans from the audience. In fact, I found it an interesting piece on the subject of the human mind. In a world filled with mediocre Hollywood films and independent films that try to hard, this is a hidden sleeper that will keep you engaged.
Paul Maskowitz
I am a sucker when it comes to psychological thrillers. I'm also the world's harshest critic when it comes to stories about characters having mental breakdowns so I went into this expecting to see the typical "insanity" clichés. Fortunately, this had none of them. The best thing to say about this film is it's always a few steps ahead of you. Even when you think you have a handle on what's happening, you don't. It straddled the family drama and psychological thriller genre very well, blending elements of both without letting down in either category. In some ways, the mood and tone resembled The Shining and The Sixth Sense....films rich in atmosphere and dread. This is also the kind of film that bears repeat viewings to see how all the clues layered throughout pay off in the climax.
bethgittleman
I think Michael Wechsler did a fantastic job with this film. As a psychology student, the effects of memories, experiences and lifestyle on a person's life are always of interest to me. It was great to see this explored in a non traditional family. It was also nice that the film kept you in suspense of what was going on beneath the surface of its characters. Judd Hirsch was fantastic and it was nice to see him on the big screen. The supporting actors are equally strong. Ryan O'Nan as Tommy was an excellent choice. He has an appeal his character needs to make you care about them and want to get to the bottom of their psyche and what happened in their past. C.S. Lee and Jamie Ray Newman were stand outs as well. There are twists and turns which lead to a surprise ending. Hoping to see more from Mr. Wechsler in the future. I really like movies which explore the depths of the human mind and how it affects real life scenarios.
AD
