Two Films, two dysfunctional families involving two playwrights with two very different stories. These were my first two choices to see at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF). They make my world seem a whole lot less complicated and normal.
I saw the world premiere of a movie entitled “BREAKABLE YOU” mostly because two actors I really admire are in it. Holly Hunter (the piano, what women want) & Alfred Molina (Chocolat, Frida).
“We’re all fakes until we have a good idea, and then we’re geniuses” – quote from the film.
This arguably dark comedy revolves around Eleanor, a psychologist (Holly Hunter) following the divorce of her plagiarising playwright husband Adam (Tony Shalhoub) who tries desperately to regain a former successful Broadway following. They have a bi-polar philosophy grad student daughter named Maud (Cristin Miloti) who chases a forlorn uncommunicative man named Samir (Omar Metwally) who is trying to overcome an unbearable loss of his own.
Almost immediately following the divorce Eleanor embarks on an affair with her first love who happens to be her ex-husband’s brother (Alfred Molina). Sound complicated? It is. The setting takes place on New York’s upper west side with the Manhattan literary crowd.
If this sounds familiar like something from Woody Allen; trust me, it’s not!
“IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD” (Juste la fin du Monde) is gaining awards buzz and for good reason.
I chose this one because of the amazing all French cast: Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, Gaspard Ulliel & Nathalie Baye. They were all unbelievably brilliant even if at times it was in-your-face hard to watch.
In brief the story is about a young writer returning home after 12 years to try to reconcile and tell his family some terrible news. The news being that he is dying. But the whole family is dying in a psychological sense. This is one of the best (or worst) cases of family dynamic dysfunction I have yet to witness on the big screen. Let’s just say….
My next selections from hereon in will be more uplifting.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is from January 2 – 16, 2017. There is an abundance of fabulous films to choose from. For more information go to: https://www.psfilmfest.org/
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