NPR

A Family In Quiet Crisis Gathers To Assess 'What They Had' — And What They've Still Got

In her debut feature, writer/director Elizabeth Chomko brings fresh insight — and a stellar cast — to the "dysfunctional family" subgenre; the result is "funny and sad, but never mawkish."
Ruth (Blythe Danner) and Bridget (Hilary Swank) share a moment in writer/director Elizabeth Chomko's intimate family drama, <em>What They Had</em>.

'Tis the season, in movie-world, to run the family-dysfunction tape on a loop. If you tire easily of snickering variants on , let me recommend , a finely textured family drama deceptively wrapped in that overworked subgenre. I doubt writer-director Elizabeth Chomko even thought of building her impressive debut feature around the reductive term "dysfunction," a noxiously bullying word that

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
Aid Workers Are Doubtful Of A U.S.-built Pier Near Gaza; RFK Jr.'s Dead Brain Worm
A pier off Gaza for aid is expected to be installed soon, but aid workers have questions. RFK Jr. says doctors found a dead worm in his brain. The WHO says he's not alone.
NPR2 min read
Ryan Gosling Has The Correct Answer To Colbert's Question About The Scariest Animal
Spoiler alert: It's a bug. It flies. And it bites. There's no "Ken-fusion" about the fear factor of a mosquito's bite.
NPR4 min read
Meet The Lawyer Who's Trying To Flag Judges Who Harass Their Clerks
A former law clerk who had a bad experience on the job is now trying to share information about judges to help others from suffering the same fate.

Related Books & Audiobooks