THE SAVAGES

THIS IS A STORY THAT THOSE WHO ARE SENIOR CITIZENS NEED TO SEE AND
THOSE WHO ARE YOUNG NEED TO SEE -- AND THAT SEEMS TO COVER CLOSE TO
100% OF THE POPULATION.

"SAVAGE" IS THE FAMILY SURNAME OF THE LEAD CHARACTERS.

A BROTHER AND SISTER HAVE TO PUT ASIDE THEIR PERSONAL PROBLEMS WITH EACH OTHER AND
FIND A NURSING HOME FOR THEIR LESS THAN BELOVED FATHER.

I FOUND THIS FILM TO BE A COMPANION PIECE TO THE WONDERFUL FILM - "AWAY FROM HER."
IN THAT FILM, A HUSBAND MUST FIND AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY FOR HIS WIFE, THE STILL BEAUTIFUL, JULIE CHRISTIE, OF "DOCTOR ZHIVAGO" FAME.

WHILE AT THE SENIOR CENTER, THE WIFE BECOMES INVOLVED WITH ANOTHER MAN AND SINCE SHE IS EXPERIENCING DEMENTA, THE HUSBAND IS AT A LOST TO CONFRONT HER, HE REALIZES THAT SHE HAS NO IDEA SHE IS DOING ANYTHING "WRONG."

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN IS,ONCE AGAIN, AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME. THE ONLY NEWS TO WATCH OUT FOR WILL BE WHEN HE IS LESS THAN GREAT IN A ROLE.

LAURA LINNEY PLAYS THE VERY DIFFICULT ROLE OF THE SISTER. I FOUND HER HARD TO LIKE AND YET, I WANTED TO LIKE HER - SO, I HAVE TO FIGURE GOOD ACTING AND SCREENWRITING WAS INVOLVED IN CREATING THIS DICHOTOMY IN MY EMOTIONS.

WATCH CAREFULLY, THE AL JOLSON SCENE, FROM "THE JAZZ SINGER" - IT WAS VERY CREATIVE AND ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS THAT MAKE YOU SAY, "WHY DIDN'T I SEE THIS ACCIDENT COMING?"

THIS IS A GOOD SLICE OF LIFE FILM - NO EXPLOSIONS, NO SUPER HEROES, NO SERIAL KILLERS - JUST FOLKS, TRYING TO GET FROM MONDAY TO SUNDAY, SO THEY CAN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.