The Daytrippers

Greg Mottola makes a very auspicious debut with "The Daytrippers". He directs a terrific cast in what is something of a rarity; a true ensemble piece. Rather than a road movie, this is a street movie with various stations in lower Manhattan. As the journey progresses so too does the family begin to unravel in a manner which is both funny as well as genuinely moving.

All give dead on target performances, with highlights from Ann Meara and Lieve Shrieber (whose unravelling is particularly poignant). Hope Davis is as wistfully wonderful as always with Parker Posey, Stanley Tucci, Pat McNaramra and Campbell Scott rounding out the ensemble.

A trip you may want to make.

This is a hilarious film... beautifully-written, hysterically-acted, excellently directed. Rent it. See it. Liev Schrieber is great, and so is Parker Posey. Greg Mottola will be, one day, a great director. He's also a very funny writer, and was able to make a story that's both moving and funny.

... a believably bickering family, portrayed by skilled actors, w/some wonderful ham stuff by Anne Meara and Parker Posey, and more subtle stuff from Hope Davis and Liev Schreiber. The story had a distinctly voyeuristic feel, as if the screenwriter was exorcising some history and making it more entertaining, often hilarious (and interesting?) than a painful history he may have lived through. A cinema verite re-creation by world class skilled actors. As the family's lives unravel, driving around in a freezing cold NYC winter evening, there is a quiet lingering shot of the World Trade Center that is unintentionally haunting, and gives the film (made in 1996) an unintended resonance.

Great dark comedy. Excellent cast. Very funny. Held my interest. Being from Long Island N.Y. love the authentic surroundings and personalities of the characters. If you like John Cassavettes's films upu will enjoy this film.

Daytrippers is a progressive drama about a family that takes an adventure into New York City after Eliza (Hope Davis) discovers a love letter that may uncover an affair between her husband and somebody named Sandy. Anne Meara does a good job as the typical East Coast, controlling mother. The indie-film queen Parker Posey plays Eliza's little sister whose boyfriend Carl, played by Liev Schreiber, is an exaggeration of the young, snobbish, know-it-all author. The family is hardly functional which makes this film particularly honest.

The key to Daytrippers is not the plot, which never fails to keep you watching, but the dialogue and the situations. Pay close attention to the characters that the family meets in the city. They all embody some kind of contradictions that make you think a little bit. Look for the scene where Marc Grapey begins describing his sexual exploits by condemning such practices.

If you are looking for a drama that provokes you, this is one of them. There are no happy endings and none of the issues raised are resolved. Fans of Parker Posey will especially enjoy her performance in this one.