Time again for Thursday Movie Picks. Sibling week hits just two weeks away from when we leave for sunny California where we will see my own brother who I haven’t seen since Christmas. Let’s hope our reunion goes smoother than they did in these three amazing films.
Rain Man (1988)- Tom Cruise has some serious daddy issues to work out finally gets his chance when he discovers that he has an autistic brother (Dustin Hoffman). Their road trip may start out as Charlie’s selfish scheme to get his inheritance back but spending time with his brother soon becomes its own reward in one of Hollywood’s all-time great feel-good movies.
The Savages (2007)- Neither Wendy (Laura Linney) or Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman) are in great shape when their estranged father’s dementia progresses to the point that he needs to be placed in a nursing home. The always-amazing Linney and Hoffman are completely believable as brother and sister both at first when spending time together dealing with this family crisis is completely uncomfortable and finally when they start actually enjoying each other’s company.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)– Before this movie came out, I never would have thought that I’d like Anne Hathaway in anything. She reinvents herself completely for this though as a tactless drug addict on temporary leave from rehab to attend her sister’s bizarre wedding. I could have easily picked this for father-daughter or mother-daughter relationships but it fits this category better. The sisters have the only relationship in this family that actually may see some healing.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
Loved Rainman but have not seen the others, but I’m an only child so cannot relate 🙂
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Oh yeah, I’m not sure how much I relate to these dynamics either but they sure are interesting.
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I’ve also only seen Rain Man–and also eaten at Pompilio’s in Cincinnati where Raymond famously counted spilled toothpicks. Someone at the restaurant saved the toothpicks and incorporated them into a mural of Cruise and Hoffman–the later holding an Oscar–driving.
The other two I now definitely want to check out, especially The Savages, to see Linney in a Gryffindor scarf.
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Wow, how have I never heard of this before? In the unlikely event that I find myself in Cincinnati, I will have to check it out.
The Savages is well worth watching. It’s surprisingly funny considering the subject matter.
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These are all excellent picks. Not necessarily easy relationships, obviously, but then, I don’t really believe those exist!
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I’ll drink to that!
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I love Rachel Getting Married and I also went with The Savages. Rain Man is great too. Nice picks!
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Thanks! There were lots to choose fromthis week so it was a lot of fun.
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My Laura Linney pick is You Can Count on Me. Her relationship with her brother, played by Mark Ruffalo, is intense. I also like Hannah & Her Sisters, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, and The Fabulous Baker Boys.
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All good choices. I’ve always wanted to see You Can Count on Me but never got around to it and had been hoping to rewatch Hannah and Her Sisters (probably my favourite Wood Allen) in time for this week’s post but also didn’t get the chance. Love The Fabulous Baker Boys.
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Excellent picks for the theme even though I don’t love any of these absolutely. Rain Man is a heart tugger but to me always feels very manipulative, still Dustin Hoffman is terrific in it. I loved the acting in The Savages, especially Laura Linney, much more than the film itself but its still a solid picture. I HATED every minute of Rachel Getting Married.
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I understand how Rachel Getting Married, not to mention it’s main character, can rub someone the wrong way and I was even annoyed by it myself at some point the first time I watched it but it has become a film that I just love. I believed every minute of it.
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I don’t really like Rachel Getting Married, but I definitely love Rain Man. Rain is the first drama film I watch from the start to the end.
The savages seems to be this week’s sweetheart, but I haven’t watched it.
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I find Rachel Getting Married feels less like a movie than a wedding that I was actually at where this really sad story unfolds around me. It would be super awkward in real life (actually it’s awkward enough on screen) but really engrossing from the comfort of my own screen.
Yes, The Savages is getting a lot of love this week. I had no idea it would be so popular in a category with so many great choices.
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I have seen all of these and liked them all, too. I would watch all of them again except the Savages.
I liked Anne Hathaway in the movie she sings I want someone to love in a bar with animated rats with beer mugs, I think. Believe it or not it reminded me of the classic, The Princess Bride. Now, never expect you to check this out but Anne H. did well in “Les Miserables” and so did Amanda Sigfried. Both could sing the phone book:)
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Jay has been kind enough to Name That Film for us. I believe the movie you’re talking about is Ella Enchanted, which I actually haven’t seen. I have seen Les Miserables though and, although I was very impressed with Anne’s performance, found the movie a bit of a chore. Too much bad singing for me and way too many close-ups that don’t let us get a good enough look at the sets and costumes.
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LOVE The Savages. That one is underrated.
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Loved Rachel G M and also – not a movie, but Transparent does a great job of portraying sibling relationships!
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