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The Savages is directed by Tamara Jenkins, and stars
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, and Philip Bosco.
The musical score is composed by Stephen Trask. ***
The Savages follows the lives of two grown-up siblings
who, over the past many years, have gone their separate
ways. However, the twosome is forced to reunite when their
ailing father takes a turn for the worst. The siblings come
back together in an effort to care for their father, but
it's clear there's still a lot of tension between the two.
However, over time, the two gradually began to bond and
better understand each other's very different lives. ***
The Savages takes some fantastic actors and combines
them beautifully into a storyline that's never over-the-top
and always feels genuine. Hoffman and Linney are at the
top of their game here, and bring these characters to life
like no one else could have. It's a nice little film that
has its share of drama, yet plenty of the moments will get
laughs out of the viewer as well. The material is never
“played for laughs” yet remains excellent in both dramatic
and comedic fashion. A fantastic film, enough said. ***
Perhaps the greatest thing The Savages has going for
it is the cast. Hoffman and Linney absolutely shine as the
pair of estranged siblings the film revolves around. It's
clear there's a lot of tension between the characters, yet
it's also clear that deep down they care for one another.
The duo brilliantly gives life to these characters, making
them multidimensional and realistic. ***
Also worth crediting is the material itself. In addition
to fantastic actors lighting up the screen, we also get
a fantastic script and direction. Tamara Jenkins directs
this film like no one else could have, putting the material
and the people involved to the best possible use. The experience
is one that, while always feeling genuine, has its comical
side as well. ***
This is a fantastic film, and if you missed it during
its theatrical run, don't pass it up on DVD. The Savages
is one of the best comedy-dramas to come along in a long
time. ---
Image And Sound:
As a recent DVD release, The Savages fares well for
its port to the home video format. Image quality is always
bright and clear, and there are no visual defects. The sound,
most of which is dialogue, all comes across just fine. Ultimately
I'd say this is a great DVD transfer. ---
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