La Famille Hollars

I'm not saying this is the best film of the year, because there are plenty of better films than this, but in some way this film wins our heart. First of all I did not know John Krasinski directs films. In fact, this is his second feature film, the only one I have seen and I loved it. The main reason to I enjoy it was, it is sentimental. Not just some foolish melodrama, but an uplifting film filled with lots of fun.

The cast was at its best. I liked everyone and their unique display. At some point it feels like a realistic drama, but those comedies make us realise that it's only a film. Margo Martindale was really awesome. I have never seen her in such a wonderful role. Most importantly in an important role like this one. If I remember this film in the future, that's only for her. The only negative about the film was the twist. It was like they aimed for it to bring change in pace and atmosphere, when the situation in the story was not in its favour. Even though I did not care it, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is the story of the Hollar family who reunite when they needed for each other. When John comes to know his mother got ill, he immediately flies back home. His brother is already there and the father is financially struggling. With many struggles, they all prepare for the medical procedure. In the meantime, there are some outside adventures. Like meeting their old friends, places, ex-wife et cetera. The remaining of the film is to reveal how it all goes and where they will stand.

The target audience is mainly the families. If you like a tearjerker, you would enjoy watching it as well. So in my opinion, this film is under-rated and under-noticed. Mainly because of the cast is not so popular and so the lack of promotion. Even the film poster is not that impressive. Kind of looks like a B movie and of course it is, but an awesome B movie. Worth a watch for many reasons and you will know it when you give it a try. So, recommended.

8/10

Directed by and starring John Krasinski this family comedy with a few tears hits all the right marks.

From family fisticuffs in the hospital room to indulging mom's sweet tooth for dipping pretzels into ice cream for breakfast - this family has got a lot of heart.

The family rallies when Sally Hollar begins having seizures and needs brain surgery. What follows is a family coming back together and smoothing out misunderstandings. There are zany madcap moments that will make you laugh and cry. Worth a view.

"The Hollars" (2016 release; 90 min.) brings the story of the Hollar family. As the movie opens, Sally (the matriarch so to speak) is found laying on the bathroom floor, and we soon learn that she has a potentially life-threatening brain tumor ("the size of a softball"). Meanwhile, we also get to know her husband Don, whose heating and plumbing business is *this* short of bankruptcy, oldest son Ron, who is so down on his luck that he is living in the basement of his parents' house, and younger son John, a wanna-be graphic novelist bored out of his mind at his current customer service job, and his highly pregnant girlfriend Becca. At this point we're 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the second film directed by actor John Krazinski (who also plays the role of the younger son John). In this movie, he examines a dysfunctional (and that is a kind reference) family, in which pretty much everyone is unhappy, or unlucky, or both, as to the state of affairs in their respective lives. The movie is billed as a 'comedy-drama' and I'd say that is pretty accurate, with the funniest bits coming up in the first half of the movie (with the best of those featured prominently in the movie's trailer, which I had seen beforehand). The second part of the movie is far more introspective, and for me the better part of the movie. When John asks his mom how she managed to get through 38 years of marriage, Sally responds "Don't waste time with the bad, live with the good. I've had a good marriage for 38 years." The movie is helped tremendously by some wonderful acting performances, starting first and foremost with Margo Martindale as Sally, bur Richard Jenkins as her husband Don is equally great. Anna Kendrick as John's highly pregnant girlfriend has a surprisingly large role 9and she is super-charming in it), whereas Mary Elizabeth Winstead as John's ex-girlfriend has maybe 5 min. of screen time in total. Check out also Josh Groban (yes, the singer) in a charming role as Reverend Dan. Last but not least, there is a terrific soundtrack from singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. Bottom line: the movie has received a mixed reaction from critics and the public at large. Perhaps because of that, my expectations were low, going into this. Instead, I found myself fully charmed by and invested in these characters, and I was sorry to let go of them when the movie was over.

"The Hollars" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it finally made its way to my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati this past weekend. The Monday evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay (given it was a Monday). No, this film doesn't cover any new ground as such, but if you like small-scale indie movies with a big heart, you;ll want to give this one a chance, be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "The Hollars" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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.

Don't be fooled by the categorisation of the film on the In Flight Entertainment channel. It's not just a comedy as advertised but a honest, tear jerking yet funny and thought provoking film. The honesty of the movie has me examined my relationship with my own parents - have I spend enough time with them? care about them as much I should? The love and marriage the older Hollars have is something we should all want and work towards to.

The actors did a phenomenal job portraying their characters - bringing them to life, making my heart wrench with what is happening to them and having me invested all 90 minutes to find out how the story pans out in the end.

Highly recommend watching this if you're tired of watching all the big money Hollywood films and is looking for something refreshing to watch.