Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney both star in this upsetting exploration into family struggle. ‘The Savages’ (2007) is a tough portrayal of emoted family connection, and we get to see the dynamics play out all over screen. There is a conviction in this movie that is honest to its small story. Tamara Jenkins’s ‘The Savages’ (2007) knows exactly what it needs to be. This is not a loud and booming film, and instead, it allows for a winter landscape to cloak the story into its own intimacy. I really appreciate domestic dramas like this, even when they are difficult I watch at times, it just shows the resolve of human nature. 

‘The Savages’ (2007) follows two sibling play writers who find themselves in their middle age. Both show a struggle for their work and their connection with others, while also expressing a deep compassion in their own way. There is a layer of contempt over the movie too, while we see both leads attempting to negotiate some of the hardest things in life, and that’s death. This movie is a mature look at how to reason with reality, while also being an obituary for youth. You can appreciate this movie when you’re any age, but I have a feeling that once I get older and closer to the age of these characters, I’ll be able to understand this movie so much deeper.

The backdrop of winter in this movie does not go unnoticed, and it’s there for a reason. Winter can be a harsh and cruel time for people. Physically punishing, and mentally crippling, the winter often feels like a hopeless mirage speeding towards up in the horizon. In cinema, the winter landscape leaves for a beautiful rendering. Unlike a movie like ‘The Great Silence’ (1968) or ‘The Shinning’ (1980), or ‘A Simple Plan’ (1998), ‘The Savages’ (2007) does not glorify the snow covered setting. At times if makes for a dirty look that drags around emotions like the sludge on the ground. I always appreciate a film with snow in it, and though ‘The Savages’ (2007) doesn’t hark on it for too long, it still makes a difference to the eye. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney both portray broken people in ‘The Savages’ (2007) but both in their own way. Hoffman shows a sense of reserve throughout the film, while still attempting to have compassion for his father and sister. An underlying jealousy brews as well, but it all comes from essential love. Linney is the louder voice of the two, and though she is confused more often than not, she still strives to be more than just a parochial character. When both actors are paired together on screen, they make for such a complex rendition of domestic life, and you could ask for a better pairing. 

I would not say that Tamara Jenkins’s ‘The Savages’ (2007) is the most complexly made film out there, but it is one that deals with real ideas. Ideas about domestic turmoil, ideas about maturity and how no one is truly ready for what’s to come. This is a really in-depth movie that will make you think a lot about how to live your life. It’s not the most upbeat at times, but that just shows the skill of both leading actors. I won’t go as far as to say this is on the top of many of my lists, but it is still a solid little flick that is worth a watch.