This film effectively conveyed the myriad complexities of adult sibling rivalry within the cruel realties of a less-than-ideal family history. The actors embodied their characters with humour, sensitivity and fearlessness.

Tamara jenkins is top tier director right there

Really good mixture about bonding, family and struggles. Good to see deal with them.

The costumes of the actors seemed to be very real, as if they were in their roles. The dress is really beautiful.

Sometimes your familial connections are your greatest burdens, but also your best support! Siblings Jon and Wendy Savage learn that their estranged father is slowly slipping into senility, so they reluctantly reunite to care for him, where they must confront their currently dysfunctional present while growing more mature in the process. A darkly comic yet emotionally provocative film that explores the chemistry between the two siblings as they grapple with their own insecurities and move forward!

The beauty of art is that your appreciation is inevitably affected by your life experience. I moved my grandmother into my house for many months before she passed away. When my mother unexpectedly died in 2014, I moved in with my dad to help care for him. These events led me to a much deeper appreciation for this movie than I likely would ever have known. I will never know if I have made the right decision in doing what I have done - I question it almost daily. But you do what you think is the right thing to do at the time you have to do it. And that is what the Savage children do here. There is something almost magical watching two artists at the peak of their powers join forces, and the combination of Linney and Hoffman doesn't disappoint - it's impossible to imagine anyone else in these roles. They are sublime! I think it was the late great Mike Nichols who said he liked to make movies that were hard to categorize at the video store. And this is a perfect example - is it comedy? Is it drama? It's life. And director Jenkins captures the absurdly fine line between tragedy and farce in which you often laugh and cry within the same scene. But she does it without being manipulative. My heart was so heavy during this film as I related to what was happening, but the simultaneous humor and levity evened the playing field. Is it comedy? Is it drama? It's life. And it's also one of the best movies of 2007.

It is always rich to watch two masters at work, especially when one of them won't be making any more movies. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman deliver fine performances in a story that is all too mundane--finding a nursing/rehab home for their father. Laura Linney plays the less successful younger sister, one whose emotional depth will help guide her brother in a realm that's obviously foreign to him: the world of feelings.

I knew about all the critical acclaim prior to seeing the film but I truly couldn't have expected such an incredible film.

Observe carefully, then you just may see how nuanced this simplistic drama on the surface really is, detailing dysfunctional roots and prevailing bonds healing whilst authentic to a potentially relatable fault, led by brilliant performances with Linney and Hoffman in particular portraying the right sibling dynamic. (B)

This is a pretty nice flick. Seymour Hoffman and Linney work well together. They had very real brother/sister chemistry. Phillip Bosco was a great mix of angry old dad and a sad old man who doesn't have enough moments to smile about. And Peter Friedman is more than convincing as the shameless adulterer guy using Linney's Wendy as his side hustle. Well chosen dialogue that showed some experience with such familial issues and communication. Put writing like that in the minds of such skilled performers and you're likely to get something worthwhile, as is the case here. The tone is strong throughout as well, with no strident shifts to disrupt the cohesive feel. Jenkins is a good director. And I'm very glad Hoffman chose to be an actor. 3.4 stars

Tamara Jenkins sure has a style. She's very good at creating slice of life stories for a viewer that's okay with examining the mundanity of life (and in The Savages case, death) without overwrought platitudes. The Savages is at times pretty dull, but even in that, it feels very true to life. It follows two siblings navigating end of life care for their father. It never quite hits the emotional points movies like this usually go for and I think that's pretty intentional. Being less predictably effective in weeding out my emotions feels on point for this movie, its performances, and overall tone. End of life is messy, and I'm not sure how I'll feel when I go through what these characters experience, but it's reassuring to know there aren't right answers all of the time.

In a world of superheroes, action, and CGI, aimed at a very young demographic, along comes this movie. It's mature, thoughtful, and a slice of life that many older people can identify with. It's good - if you like this kind of movie. With Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, how could it fail? They could act out the ingredients on a cereal box and keep you watching them. (PSH - you are missed).

With these two fantastic actors it should have been fun, but it was too dark to be humorous.

This is NOT a comedy. It's a slow moving, dry, sad drama. Maybe I would have liked it more if I didn't go into it expecting to laugh.

The last five minutes of the movie weren't nearly enough to redeem the rest of it.

The Savages is a brutal ride, particularly if you’ve ever dealt with a relative who’s dying of dementia. The flashes that this movie gave me of visiting my grandfather in the nursing home were tough to endure. Right from the outset, I want to be upfront with the fact that I had a moderately negative reaction to The Savages, because of how it made me feel. It’s not poorly made, and the fact that I had a negative reaction to certain things is actually a good sign that it was telling an authentic story. However, I rate movies based on my personal enjoyment, and this was not all that enjoyable. This is not the first film that I’ve seen which tackles the realities of caring for aging parents with an understated and naturalistic approach, and I think others have done it better, but The Savages is still effective. Stylistically, this movie felt like any number of indie films I’ve watched with quirky characters dealing with tough life situations, and at this point they need something special to make the movie stick out in my mind. I imagine I will forget all about The Savages given enough time. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman had some nice interactions throughout the film. To my surprise, the movie isn’t really about Philip Bosco as the father. His declining health is just a significant point of stress, and we get to see how that influences the day to day lives of his children. In fact, we don’t see a ton of the father in the film, and often exit his room to see how Linney and Hoffman are handling things. I wish the movie spent a bit more time exploring their father’s checkered past, because I kept looking for some cathartic moment when they dealt with their issues. Instead the movie avoids going deep into the family history, and explores their current-day relationship struggles. The ending made me feel a bit cheated, because we see how they progress forward in their lives, but I never saw the film lay the groundwork that would equal this kind of growth. I acknowledge that The Savages is an earnest story that explores some complicated issues, but it was tough to watch at times, and didn’t deliver as well as I was hoping at the end.

Somber with splashes of laugh-out-loud moments, The Savages is a solid film about taking care of someone who probably doesn't deserve it. "Sun City" looks like it was dropped out of a brochure (think Edward Scissorhands), but we don't stay there long and instead shift to blistery Buffalo. The subtly of the "cookie" scene at the support group was the funniest moment. The "blackface" scene was cringe-worthy but funny. I had thought it would be a more split story between Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Wendy (Laura Linney), but the focus remains on Wendy as the main protag. Wish more PSH. Could always go for more PSH. Of course, 100/100 for Genghis.

The Non- Socialite Humans. The Savages Jenkins's immortal lifestyle and mortal characters carries heavy words than a sword ever could. And finding an honest persistent voice in this war where there is no opponent, and yet has an engaging battle to keep us at the brisk of our emotions, it gets to reap its inspiring flag. The pragmatic conversation glides along with smart humorous narration that can be as light as a puff of smoke and heavy as the deepest emotion bubbled up with stunning chemistry among the cast. Where it ponders on about the usual textbook structure and the concept of a typical family drama, the theme it digs upon is a head scratching masterpiece. One of its major strength, the equation of two siblings; a brother and a sister, is so accurately descriptive that you cannot not communicate with it. From tiny bickering intuitions to mocking each other even at the lowest moment, the bonding of them grows stronger and stronger as they manage to stay together in this big chunk of mess. Linney as the emotionally fueled and also challenged sister, is a treat to watch for her gullible nature with strong will power receives an overwhelming response especially set in this world. Hoffman, on the other hand, is playing more of a supportive role than a parallel one. With annoyance on the surface in his hot headed mind, he is more of a father to her sister, than her actual father is. Complaining their way in, this absorbing tale evolves into supporting and devouring each other for their mistakes and their capabilities. Addition to that, the signature tone of Jenkins of drawing out humor from the awkward silence and social uneasiness, she lightens the mood through the habitual rituals of the characters rather than some big hysterical incident. The Savages is a breath of fresh air with a medication that is just a cherry on top.

Not bad, but as a comedy not particularly funny.

Great performances from Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman propel this realistic comedy drama to greatness.