After a rather rough start, this movie starts gaining momentum about halfway through and develops by the end into an often moving and thought-provoking dysfunctional family drama. I am always impressed when a film tackles a controversial issue, in this case euthanasia, in a fair and balanced way without preaching or trying to condone one side of the argument. As the end credits rolled, I honestly felt indecisive about my feelings and what I would have done had I been in the position of any one of these main characters. The filmmakers are also able to throw in a few laughs here and there to lighten the mood a bit - a family dinner toward the middle of the movie being the highlight. The ensemble cast works well together, although a couple of the supporting roles feel very cliche and two-dimensional. Rainn Wilson appears as Winslet's husband, and no fault to him but I just can't see anyone but Dwight Schrute when he's onscreen. The film can feel a bit melodramatic and soap opera-ish at times, particularly a subplot involving Sarandon's best friend. But I was impressed overall with the impact I felt at the end, and it gave me a lot to think about afterwards.

Susan Sarandon stinks in this film...as usual. This is a definite SKIP

This was just too predictable to give it a higher rating. There's just nothing left to the imagination whatsoever. We've seen this all before. Nothing special here.

I thought it was great. Centered on a subject becoming more and more common. A moving and thoughtful story. Why on earth did Rotten Tomatoes choose to highlight such a secondary character for this movie?

Well acted and interesting story about a family's reaction to hearing about an assisted suicide plan of a family member after one final "happy" weekend together. Don't forget the kleenex!

A gathering of great actors relate a story of beginnings and endings. "Blackbird fly, blackbird fly Into the light of a dark black night..........."

A sad story that's maybe a little too propelled by modern styling:- Expensive house by the sea looking a little too much like one selected for a commercial make-over show, modern potty-mouthed characters who we are supposed to warm to and sympathize with, the token gender-confused pair to keep it in a PC vain, weed puffers, etc...Once the storytellers get over setting the scene, there are some challenging situations dealing with euthanasia. Here, thankfully, it pretty much presents the theme from both sides of the emotional spectrum– mostly leaving the audience to judge for itself. And while it does suggest possible abuses that could surround assisted dying, it never-the-less ends as a solid nod to the activity. Farewells are seldom, if ever easy, so expect some challenging moments exposing those raw edges that can easily hide in family closets. Performances are mostly intense and convincing, with the cast helping to smooth over some of the shaky bits. Along the way, there are some nice touches examining those misunderstandings that often produce those silly gaps between generations of relatives, as well as parents and siblings. Even though it's not Christmas, Christmas is the ‘theme' chosen for the final family celebration together (not sure why, as it's a Christ-less Christmas) I've heard that the term Black-Birding refers to leaving a social type situation without anyone knowing you've gone but that hardly applies here, so not sure why this movie should be titled Blackbird. Cinematically it looks polished and is graced by a thoughtful and interesting music score. At least this family gets to share their last goodbye or the parting glass together. Heavy going but mostly realistic and thoughtful.

Susan Sarandon is such a horrible actress..time to quit your day job…

Adoro filme de reunião familiar, nas suas excentricidades, amores e desamores, e todas as tensões intrínsecas das relações familiares, algumas turbulentas, outras nem tanto, abordagem homoafetiva, drogas, eutanásia, abandono parental, entre outros dramas, lindo e triste, intenso e verdadeiro, apaixonante…

An interesting and poignant story. Well told.

L'argomento delle riunioni familiari legate ai lutti è stato molto utilizzato negli ultimi anni; "Blackbird" non brilla sicuramente per originalità. Colpisce però la qualità della sceneggiatura e della costruzione dei personaggi, senza dover ricorrere all'uso di caratteri esagerati e poco credibili. Storie abbastanza normali e dialoghi in cui ci si può abbastanza immedesimare. Un dramma piacevole, al giusto livello tra commedia e tristezza; in cui la seconda caratteristica funziona decisamente meglio della prima.

ALS is taking Susan's life - and her family gathers to say goodbye to her as she prepares to euthanize herself. Its wildly uncomfortable, but Winslet and the other family members kill the acting.

A film that leaves the viewer with a lot of inner and disturbing questions about life and its end. A group of exceptional actors adds personality to this unusual subject, with truly affectionate small gestures that they exchange between themselves. However, after a promising start the movie takes an "already seen" turn and wastes its promises.

It's a good movie, exploring a family's responses to its Matriarch's wishes to be in control of her death before her degenerative illness progresses any further. It doesn't delve into the ethics of assisted dying, nor does it involve itself with the argument surrounding it. Instead, it tells a story of one woman's wish, and the impact that has. The acting is good, though the ending feels overly sentimental and not as emotionally tuned in as the rest of the film

Everyone should have the right to end his/her life and the means to do so should be legal.. Good movie

I thought it was beautiful and sad. The acting was excellent.

Susan Sarandon suele ser garantía y está no es la excepción. Este filme retrata una reunión familiar trascendente, inusual y que confronta, donde se escribe una historia que conmueve y hace reflexionar al espectador sobre el sentido mismo de la vida, sí, profunda, así es esta película.

I thought this film was absolutely beautiful, from its slightly desaturated location and stunning architecture, to its many deeply touching, poignant and joyful revelations. Unlike many critics, I found this film filled with relatable characters, and incredibly moving moments. I accept that there were a few contrivances, but they were far outweighed by beautiful, sad and hilarious character-driven moments. All of the actors were fantastic, but Susan Sarandon shone.

I don't think this is a great movie but it's certainly a good one and, as it draws to a close, it makes some moves that will be very controversial for some. Sarandon holds the whole thing together both as an actor and as the matriarch of the family, all of whom have their baggage to deal with. Maria Wasikowska is excellent as Anna who seems to be the only one in the family who is distressed at the idea that her mother is going to suicide to avoid her deteriorating medical condition. There's the occasional humour but most of the story is pretty depressing and often very moving. The soundtrack is beautiful and sensitive and never overwhelms what is happening on the screen. Definitely worth a look with lots to discuss when the credits roll!

This is a wonderful movie about a heartbreaking subject that is filled with rich characters and splendid acting. The beautiful house is its own character. The cinematography and lighting all add to the mood of the story. My own family is filled with love, awkwardness, annoyances and joy so the family dynamics resonated with me. For people who love family dramas, this won't disappoint.