Worth: $17.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, Dianna Agron, Simon Helberg, Justin Chu Cary
Intro:
... well paced, real, and sometimes quite beautiful.
Single mum Abigail (Dianna Agron) drinks too much, burns whatever she’s cooking and drunk dials her boss. Her abrasive mother, Barbara (Candice Bergen), constantly rings her, while her father, Eugene (Dustin Hoffman), is ageing dramatically and rapidly declining.
Billed as a dramedy but leaning considerably towards the drama, As They Made Us tells the story of a family with unhealthy dynamics, an estranged son/brother and a fractured love that nevertheless somehow binds them together. The family’s name, fittingly, is Fray.
Expertly written and directed by debut feature filmmaker Mayim Bialik (best known for her role in The Big Bang Theory), As They Made Us partially draws from her own life experiences with “complicated parents” and was written after the death of her father as a way of working through things.
Bialik’s Big Bang alumni, Simon Helberg, appears as estranged son and brother Nathan. He’s pivotal to the plot and the sibling dynamics add another layer to this already nuanced story. The film captures the pain and awkwardness of an uncomfortable reunion when Abigail and Nathan see each other after many years – “Do we hug?” she asks.
With some of the story told in flashback, Bergen and Hoffman play their younger selves. This doesn’t always work visually, yet can be forgiven as their performances are so good. The acting chemistry really sparks between these two veterans – you believe they’ve been married for decades, especially during one of the film’s most beautiful moments, when the couple has a slow, shuffling dance.
While the story revolves around Agron’s character – her life after divorce and her burgeoning romance with Jay, the hot landscape gardener (Justin Chu Cary) – it’s tempting to think that Bergen and Hoffman steal the show. But there’s more to this than Bergen and Hoffman – the entire cast is excellent and they’re working from a tight, refined script.
As They Made Us is well paced, real, and sometimes quite beautiful.
