Sam & Kate

Just watched it and it's lovely. Nothing groundbreaking, but on the other hand, one could say they don't make films like this any longer, unfortunately.

It's a simple story and yes, there are a couple of clichés, but it's still refreshing. Do you know why? There is a man and a woman, and they fall in love. No propaganda whatsoever. How sad is it that this kind of story is such a rarity these days?

One annoying downside is that it is marketed as a romantic comedy, which it is not. There is one character who is there for comic relief, I guess, but he is not funny.

Dustin Hoffman is fantastic. He is one of my favourite actors ever. It hurts to see him getting so old...

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.

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."

This is a really special film about love, loss and relationships. The cast is superb and I can't believe this film slipped under the radar the way it has. It's far better than the average ratings suggest and touched a nerve for me in several places.

Casting the real life father and son with the Hoffman's was a great touch. There is levity and drama and on the whole just a real genuine and heart felt backbone that's true to life.

Another stroke of genius with the casting is Henry Thomas, of E. T. Fame and more recently the string of successful Mike Flanagan series, in the role of Sam's trusted friend.

This is well worth the watch. If you're at all tempted you will definitely be rewarded.

Always being a fan of Dustin Hoffman and knowing the acting chops of Sissy Spacek, after watching the trailer it compelled me to watch.

A quarter of the way through I checked IMDB to see if possibly the character Sam was Dustin's son. The noses prompted me to check and I was pleasantly surprised to find out he was! Kate's similar looks to Tina (and nose too) was also Sissy's real daughter. The chemistry between this cast is so palpable as you feel the connections coming from the scenes.

I found myself smiling and chucking and also wanting to know what would happen throughout the whole movie. It was slower but it allowed me to feel the emotions it was giving and really enjoy it. You have to be in the right frame of mind to slow yourself down to really encapsulate what the movie so kindly gifts you.

I wouldn't consider it a romcom but it was about love and romance to be fair. Life, not being easy, is depicted in this treasure and will tug at your heart. I most definitely shed quite a few tears but also was left associating it to my own life many times and smiled as it was quite endearing. Being a creative, I enjoyed the collective tapestry of the art, music, books and small town living that brought the charm that makes it a cozy find.

No spoilers as this movie unravels deliciously and that's one of the best parts. I didn't want it to end and also, like others, felt the end was a bit rushed. It's slow burn and movies not wanting to be over 2 hours these days, possibly found it needing to come to a close sooner than it needed to be.

All in all, truly an enchanting find that even compelled me to write my very first movie review! If you like music lyrics, don't miss listening intently to the last song played by Kate on piano, really puts a bow on the love this movie brings.