Rating of
4/4
A Well-Rounded Dramedy
Franz Patrick - wrote on 02/26/08
I saw this movie when I was in my first or second year of high school and I remember considering it as a good film. Now, I consider it a movie that reminds me of me and my family; the loving yet flawed parents, the lack of communication between siblings, the quest for identities, the feeling of being the black sheep of the family... all of which I can relate to. A lot of scenes really got to me upon watching it the second time because it was like watching me (in the shoes of Emile Hirsch's character) back then. But looking at this film without the sentimentality, I still think it's very good because each scene has an impact when it comes to the bigger picture. The drama and the comedy are surpringly balanced. The actors owned who they were supposed to portray, especially Sigourney Weaver as a mom that one can easily talk to because she's spunky and loving all at the same time. The mother-son relationship was especially touching amidst all the laughter and tears. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a not-so-big film but delivers a great message that one can take through one's lifetime.
