First Hit: Very strong performances especially by Philip Seymour Hoffman in a film about a difficult subject.
This film provides some insight towards family and sibling dynamics when an aging parent needs day-to-say assistance.
Laura Linney plays Wendy Savage the younger sister of Jon Savage play by Hoffman and although it is apparent they have spoken to each other over the years, they are not close nor have they resolved and moved on from old childhood patterns.
The film begins when their father, Lenny Savage (played by Philip Bosco) is ousted from Sun City because his common law wife dies. Jon and Wendy trek out to Arizona to figure out what to do with their father. Jon finds a assisted living place which has an open bed for his father and is near the college where he is a professor.
Wendy dislikes the place because it seems so institutional and tries to find a more warm and loving place. However, they fail to obtain a bed in this other facility and, over time, Wendy sees that it is more about what she and Jon put into their efforts towards their father and themselves as brother and sister.
The dynamics between Jon and Wendy reflect how siblings grow apart holding on to old patterns and behaviors and that is is possible to overcome these issues to learn, see and accept each other.
What is takes is an openness and a willingness to share their truths.
Overall: Strong film with strong performances, yet Laura Linney’s characterization seemed incongruent at times.