The Hollars (2016)

This film tells the story of a family who is troubled by many misfortunes, including the father's business going badly, the mother having cancer, the older son coping with divorce and the younger son doing a job he dislikes.Despite the multiple misfortunes, "The Hollars" remain light hearted, optimistic and cheerful. They show human emotions appropriate to the situations, and is not over the top. Attributing the mother's symptoms to a weight issue is quite funny, but believable at the same time. The thing about these characters is that they face real problems and have realistic reactions. I have sympathy for the characters because they are relatable to the viewers. The ending is quite funny, sweet and sad all at the same time. It also reminds us to live life to the most.

I really wanted to like this. The acting talent is top-notch and everyone delivered. Unfortunately to me the story just seemed super cheesebally. It just seemed like every scene was simply there to elicit a very one-dimensional in-your-face sort of reaction. For example (SPOILERS!!!) when the mom successfully comes through the operation only to then die moments later out of the blue?? It felt like a totally transparent ham-handed way just to force the audience to ride an emotional roller-coaster. Wahoo! Not.Again all the actors did a very fine job, particularly Jenkins, Martindale and Copley. Although Krasinski pretty much just continued to play a slight variation of Jim from The Office which is all I've really seen from him.It may be a slice of life, but it felt like a didactic blunt way to present the usual life/death, love/family melodrama themes which have been done a lot more creatively in the past.

Films with families coming together where one sibling his been absent for years that has in turn led to rivalry and jealously are not exactly new ground but in 'The Hollars' it never feels overly familiar thanks largely to the golden rule of film making, that a good script is King. The movie directing debut of John Krasinski, who also acts see's him play John Hollar, a struggling insecure graphic novelist, with a pregnant girlfriend (Anna Kendrick) living in New York. Upstate his father (Jenkins, brilliant as always) is running a failing family business, while his brother (Sharlto Copley) Ron, has just been fired by the Dad for warning him they're days away from bankruptcy. Ron has his own problems, going through a divorce from his wife and missing his two daughters, resulting in some what dysfunctional behaviour. It is in this setting that the patriarchal mother of the household (Margo Martindale, so natural & so brilliant she makes acting looks effortless) discovers she has a brain tumour, forcing the brothers together and the father to re- evaluate himself and the mistakes he may have made before its too late. A subplot involves John meeting his old flame who has now married high school friend turned hospital nurse (Charlie Day) who in turn is a bit of a dick. Will John resolve his own issues and see what is right in front of him, how will the father cope with his impending loss and can Ron find a peaceful solution to his messy divorce & cope with his wife's new love in the form of the affable local Priest (Nicely underplayed by Josh Groban) - Such are the dilemmas facing this familiar feeling family. How dramas of this type work often depend on how engaging the characters are and connecting with them at an early stage. Krasinski cleverly never makes you like anyone in-particular too much or too little, tugging at the heart strings just right. Krasinski assembled a top notch group of actors here who clearly know their craft. This could have been a play on stage, but has enough drama to work well on screen. Copley plays a role very different from previous performances and handles the American accent with ease, while Kendrick proves she can handle a more demanding role outside of the Twilight Saga spectrum. Some characters feel a little underwritten, Ashley Dyke does well to make you notice her in a part with little characterisation, but essentially this is a film about The Hollars (Hence the title) and they are rightly the focus of the piece. I have no doubt that Margo Martindale will be criminally under looked when it comes to award season for her role of the mother. One of those actresses who I have seen hundreds of times, has assured I will always know her name after this performance. The film may not break much new ground, but it is certainly among the best within its genre and fortunately, it wasn't set during Thanksgiving with a scene involving a turkey. Recommended.

"You thought it was a weight thing?!" John Hollar (Krasinski) is getting ready to be a father when he learns that his mother (Martindale) is in the hospital with a brain tumor. He flies back home and joins his dysfunctional family. While trying to help and be there for his mother he also is dealing with the possible bankruptcy of his father's business, his angry brother and the unstable husband of his ex-girlfriend. This is a fantastic movie. The comedy is witty, quick and perfectly timed. The drama is heart wrenching and emotional without feeling cheesy or melodramatic. Everyone of the actors plays their part perfectly and that adds to the overall feel of the movie. This is a movie that flew under the radar, but those that find it will see one of the best movies of the year. Overall, a movie that deserves a bigger audience than it will get. One of the top ten movies of the year and one that I can not possibly recommend more. I easily give this an A+.