Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco

A sister (Linney) and brother (Hoffman) face the realities of familial responsibility as they begin to care for their ailing father.

Flixster Users

73% liked it

17,124 ratings

Critics

89% liked it

160 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Tamara Jenkins

Release Date: November 28, 2007

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DVD Release Date: April 22, 2008

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Stats: 5,938 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,938)


  • October 1, 2009
    A simple, honest and moving drama with some great performances. Having cared for dying relatives, I could relate to it a lot. I liked the fact that without being preachy, it gives us the most important lessons of all, Don't give up and it will probably all be all right in the end...( read more). Loved the last scene, I think I'm going soft!
  • September 7, 2009
    Very sad movie. One of the best performances I have seen Laura Linney do though.
  • February 17, 2009
    My mother -in-law had dementia so watching the movie father deteriorate with it was kind of sad for me.
  • January 31, 2009
    If you are looking to watch a movie for a little escape...this is not it. This movie is straight out of the pages of the real and directed right into the heart of where it hurts.
    Forcing us to recognize the reality of what it means to get older in our society and even confront ...( read more)what may be our own futures this film holds back on nothing.
    It will strip you to the emotional bones and leave you raw maybe even asking, "Did I really need to watch this tonight?" The question would be, "Is there ever a good time to watch this subject matter?"
    Brilliantly played by Hoffman and Linney two people look to find care for their aging Father. NOTE: I say, "people" here and not "characters." This is done so well that you may forget that it is only a film.
    Never descending into the tripe and trite cliche that might make this subject matter into a soap opera the film is uncompromising in breaking you along with the emotional wrecks. All the trials and tribulations are felt whole heart and we are left barren from beginning to end taking a journey with these people that might just hit too close to home on a lot of levels.
    Savor the nuances. Savor the performances and try not to be too hurt by the fact that this movie will take it away and does not even attempt to give it back...as it should be.
  • January 3, 2009
    This is really just an average story, but it's done by all the right people, turning this into a great movie. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman are a perfect brother/sister match, and their chemistry on screen is outstanding.

    I really liked the way this movie was shot, ...( read more)there's a very dark humor coming through in almost every scene. But the thing that truly stood out was how extremely well-written this movie was. Not only does it do a perfect job portraying the average person's life (things going wrong more than they go right, not knowing what to do with your life, not knowing if you've done anything with your life, etc.) but the dialogue is spot-on to what you'd hear/say in a real life conversation.

    It's still a touching story, watching a brother and sister care for a man who never cared for them. As PSH says in the movie, they were treating their father much better than he ever treated them. It helps show us that odd aspect to life where we're always bound to our families, no matter how much we end up hating them.

    There are several times you find yourself laughing at situations you really shouldn't be laughing at. You laugh more because it's so accurate as to what would probably happen rather than something actually being funny.

    This is a very fun, sometimes deep, feel good movie to watch. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a god.
  • November 7, 2009
    Visione obbligatoria.
    E poi c'è Philip che piange mentre mangia delle uova!
  • November 2, 2009
    Malgre un bon duo de comediens le film est trop demonstratif et manque de personnalite.
  • November 1, 2009
    These two actors can handle every role. The movie was very realistic, slow yet awesome.
  • November 1, 2009
    I really enjoyed this.
  • October 24, 2009
    Kind of slow at times, but then again maybe some of it is needed for subtlety. Does good job of dealing with the way in which difficulties in romantic relationships are often hereditary.
    Warning: You might not enjoy this film very much if you're much younger than 30.

Critic Reviews


December 26, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

The film is savagely funny about the indignities of old age, yet optimistic that it's never too late to have a happy childhood. full review

December 21, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Both Linney and Hoffman are so specific in creating these characters that we see them as people, not elements in a plot. full review

December 5, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

With the help of acting giants, [director Tamara] Jenkins turns The Savages into a twisted, bittersweet pleasure. full review

November 30, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

The film successfully navigates the tricky waters of family dysfunction. A savagely funny/tragic/hopeful portrait of the way we are circa 2007. full review

November 28, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Tamara Jenkins' writing and direction are superb. full review

November 27, 2007
Marcy Dermansky, About.com

This is not a Sam Shepherd play; it feels more like HBO. full review

November 26, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

The Savages is a delightful movie -- the perfect companion piece (and antidote) to the year's other superb convalescent-dementia picture, Away From Her. full review

September 6, 2007
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Suffused with clever lines, characters with neurotic tics and a pervasive, jocular black humour, The Savages is more about craft than art, but the craft, especially in the writing and acting, is at a ... full review

View more The Savages reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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