"The inter play between Linney and Hoffman is fantastic"

 

Tamara Jenkins triumphantly returns as writer and director of this humane story of the human condition, Laura Linney is superb as the Wendy the younger of the Savages, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is fantastic as her brother Jon, they are reunited after years when they receive a phone call about their abusive father, who is played terrifically by Philip Bosco. His health is deteriorating, he has Dementia, 

The inter play between Linney and Hoffman is fantastic, he's very cynical, while she is doing what she thinks is right for her father, but by extension is more for herself, after seeing these two together it's easy to see them as brother and sister.

This film is very sensitive to its subject matter, and ends on a high with Wendy producing her play and Jon going off to Poland or a conference, it also gives the powerful message that life moves on.

Tamara Jenkins, has done a wonderful job here, with this smart drama about the human condition, well written and directed.