The Thing About My Folks (2005)

45% of critics liked it
(65 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(17,304 ratings)

A middle-aged man finds himself dealing with the divorce of his elderly parents as well as many years of emotional baggage in this poignant comedy drama. Ben (Paul Reiser) is a writer who is enjoying a quiet evening at home with his wife, Rachel (Elizabeth Perkins), when they receive an unexpected… More A middle-aged man finds himself dealing with the divorce of his elderly parents as well as many years of emotional baggage in this poignant comedy drama. Ben (Paul Reiser) is a writer who is enjoying a quiet evening at home with his wife, Rachel (Elizabeth Perkins), when they receive an unexpected visitor, Ben's father, Sam (Peter Falk). As it happens, Sam has some surprising news -- his wife, Muriel (Olympia Dukakis), has left him, leaving behind a note saying she wants some time alone. While Ben gets in touch with his sisters, who immediately set out to track down Muriel, he is left to deal with Sam while he tries to figure out what has gone wrong. Eager to spend some time with his dad to talk things out, Ben invites Sam along for a trip upstate to look at some property he's interested in buying, and as the two men hit the road, they get a chance to get to know one another in a way Sam, a busy salesman, was unable to do when Ben was a boy. The Thing About My Folks was a pet project for Paul Reiser, who wrote the screenplay as well as playing the lead; he'd had the script in the works for 20 years, and always intended for Peter Falk to play the role of Sam. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 34 min.
Directed By: Raymond De Felitta
Written By: Paul Reiser
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 16, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Feb 14, 2006
Studio: Picturehouse

Critic Reviews

Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Reiser, a famous face from the long-running TV series Mad About You, here proves himself to be a skilful writer and actor for the big screen.
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post
Two men of very different generations coming to understand and appreciate each other makes for some fine moments. And that's just the actors.
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News
If you've ever wondered what it would feel like to be trapped in a '36 Ford convertible for 47 years with a Yiddish theater version of Dr. Phil and the runaway bride, this is the movie for you.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
If you thought Mad About You was cloying and gaggingly cute, this could give you the dry heaves.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
If you leave The Thing About My Folks thinking about your own folks, consider the movie a success.
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Reiser wrote the script specifically for Falk and himself, so it's not surprising that the actors bond with their characters. And that makes it easy for the viewers to bond with them.
Stefan Ulstein, Christianity Today
Reiser has given us a film that makes us laugh while contemplating the ways we understand and misunderstand those we love.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
Moderately appealing.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
With Mother's Day and Father's Day on the horizon, is there a better way of showing the people who brought you into the world how much you hate them with their very own copy of The Thing About My Folks?
Mark R. Leeper, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The film is a little saccharine and never as moving as Reiser expected. I know Reiser loves his father, but I didn't need to pay to be told it.
Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
The Thing About My Folks contains more sap than a Vermont maple.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
...provides [Falk] with an opportunity for his best work in a a Hollywood film since the hilarious and underrated Big Trouble (1986).
Michael Szymanski, International Press Academy
Another one of the lost gems of the year, this is something you have to finally get to see if you missed it in the theaters.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
The truth about this sweet, rather shambling little movie is somewhere between the gush and the criticism.
Michael Szymanski, Hollywood.com
It's a slow enjoyable ride where you aren't asking "are we there yet?" all the way through it.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Before I saw this film, only one movie, Field of Dreams, had ever made me cry. Now there are two.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
A lot of the humor is forced and unfunny.
Thomas Delapa, Boulder Weekly
If Reiser's smart, he'll hire Falk for a new Columbo episode, 'The Case of the Roadkill Movie.'
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
[Falk turns] a stereotyped curmudgeon into a warm and winning character and the only reason to watch.
Lewis Beale, Film Journal International
Formulaic to the max, it's never as funny nor as insightful as it wants to be.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Al S

What an amazing and magnificent movie. It`s hilarious, deeply moving and utterly satisfying. A masterpiece of comedy and drama well rounded into a real joy of a film. Some of the best and most realistic character work i have ever seen ina film. It delivers unstoppable laughs from… More
What an amazing and magnificent movie. It`s hilarious, deeply moving and utterly satisfying. A masterpiece of comedy and drama well rounded into a real joy of a film. Some of the best and most realistic character work i have ever seen ina film. It delivers unstoppable laughs from start to finish. Peter Falk and Paul Reiser give outstanding and beautiful performances. Falk is brilliant, he gives one of the bet screen performances of 2005. Weiser is excellent, he writes as well as performs superbly in this film. A stunning and well-crafted picture.
Leigh R

Fantastic job by the two leads... Everyone can relate to what these people go through.
Lanning :

Wow, what a great surprise. Peter Falk is another much under-appreciated actor. And thank you Olympia Dukakis for reaffirming my faith in your ability. How ironic to see this just after seeing her in that horrific Picture Perfect -- another indication of how bad… More
Wow, what a great surprise. Peter Falk is another much under-appreciated actor. And thank you Olympia Dukakis for reaffirming my faith in your ability. How ironic to see this just after seeing her in that horrific Picture Perfect -- another indication of how bad the direction was in that movie. This one is well worth the time, flixsters, for family, for love, for the time-honored tradition of growing old. Peter Falk is a genius.
Yinalí R

I loved the movie!! Very entertaining.