Todo queda en casa

Sam (Jake Hoffman) has come home to care for his ailing father Bill (Dustin Hoffman). He's taken with book seller Kate (Schuyler Fisk). Bill becomes interested in her mother Tina (Sissy Spacek).

These are two Hollywood legends and their kids. Of the four of them, there is one squeaky wheel. Jake Hoffman is not a big name. His acting is limited. He does fit this slacker loser role. I accept his mistaken donation as the story's need for drama. For his character's sake, he really should have a big cinematic redemption. He should wait at the donation bin for days if necessary to get her stuff back. That's a writing problem. It comes down to Darren Le Gallo's full length debut as a director and as a writer. It's a small story that needs a more skilled hand at the wheel. The two Hollywood legends deliver. Schuyler Fisk should probably do more movies. I'm sure that she's happy with her music career. It's just that she has this adorable coolness that really works on the screen.

There are so many positives to this movie, I almost feel bad starting with the poster: it is so misleading!

You look at the poster and you thing this will be just one more of those crazy silly comedies. This couldn't be any farther from the truth.

This movie is deep and thoughtful, with intertwined stories very well connected and rooted in reality.

You watch it and it makes you feel all kinds of emotions:

• there is a light comedy that makes you chuckle on many places and, best of all, it never feels forced.

• there is unlikely romances that you can't foresee how this could possibly happen, and it catches you by surprise slowly developing into something nice and beautiful without any of those "magic moments" that so often happen on rom-coms.

• there is also a bit of drama that makes you cry and feel deeply for the characters and move you along the progression of the story in a very natural way.

In SUMMARY: an almost perfect script, filled with great actors, all very well cast on each role; you'll feel all the emotions and you'll be grateful that you have picked this film to watch at the end.

Some may feel prior to viewing Sam & Kate that the casting of film legends Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek's adult children is a gimmick to garner publicity for the film, and of course it likely was an intended angle. However, Jake Hoffman and Schuyler Fisk are accomplished actors in their own right so the on-screen interactions are very organic and natural and in no way a distraction. One comment I've read is that Schuyler is such a natural, bright light of a presence here and I agree we should see more from her on screen. The story itself is more dramatic than the marketing would lead you to believe, which is so often the case. But the storytelling is first-rate and moves along nicely with some unexpected character developments, even though Dustin's arc is fairly predictable from the start. Spacek has the strongest and most interesting material in my opinion and she performs with her customary charm and understated artistry. It's been a real treat to see some of her later work finally pair her with other film heavyweights such as Robert Duvall, Robert Redford, and now Dustin Hoffman. Overall, a mostly dramatic film with strong and likeable performances carrying the day.

The title makes it clear this is a story about the son and daughter, played by Jake Hoffman as Sam and Schuyler Fisk as Kate. Their parents in the movie are played by their real life parents, Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek. It didn't start out that way, but when an actor dropped out Dustin was pulled in.

Set and filmed in a small Georgia town, Sam is an aspiring artist who works in a low-paying job in a candy factory. He lives with his old dad to help take care of him and although a very kind 40-something man is somewhat of a slacker.

Kate has an air of mystery about her, she co-owns and works in a book store. When Sam is first smitten with her she tells him she isn't really into dating just then, much later we find out about her tragic losses.

A lot happens in this movie but it all happens very deliberately. Some might term it "slow." But it moves along at the right pace for the story, which involves issues with each parent as well as the two 40-something children finding ways to move forward in their lives.

My wife and I enjoyed it, streaming on NBC's Peacock site.

As an aside Dustin and Jake Hoffman first acted in the same movie in the 1988 movie "Rain Man."

I stumbled across this movie today(day of release) by accident and what a delight. I would usually watch the trailer and decide if it is worth a watch but i jumped straight in and it was brilliant. Superb acting from all and a really lovely story. Dustin Hoffman is tremendous as always.

I love the way they have used actual parent and child actors here, makes it more special.

The only downside to this movie is watching dustin as an old man. Its terribly sad seeing him grow old, he's still fantastic and a legendary actor.

A real fantastic piece of cinema that is definitely worth a watch. I'd give it 8/10 .