The film begins with an opening shot of elderly women line dancing in blue-sequined dresses, setting a tone of slight discomfort that never really goes away. The audience is then exposed to scenes of the tranquil domesticity of a retirement community in Sun City, Ariz., which happens to be the residence of Lenny Savage (Philip Bosco) and his invalid girlfriend, Doris (Rosemary Murphy). The neighborhood seems ideal: the lawns are green and nicely mowed, the houses are pristine and the residents are enjoying themselves.
This feeling of serenity is quickly shattered upon the discovery of what is actually behind the façade of perfection. In his advanced years, Lenny suddenly develops a form of dementia, causing him to act out; a particularly disconcerting scene involving his own excrement suggests the situation needs to be addressed as soon as possible. This is easily the most repulsive episode of the film. If Jenkins intended this scene to be humorous, she sorely missed the mark. After this incident, his children Jon (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) are forced to put their lives on hold and travel to Arizona to deal with their estranged father.
Clearly, the siblings have little desire to leave New York in order to take care of a man who failed as a father. Glimpses into their respective lives further reveal the impact of their troubled childhood. Wendy lives in New York City as a struggling playwright and is having an affair with a married man in her apartment building. Jon teaches theater at a college in Buffalo and is in the process of writing a novel. He lives with his girlfriend of three years, whom he refuses to marry, even when she is deported back to her homeland of Poland. Both brother and sister are desperate to make something of their lives, although they’ve met little success. Like many siblings, Jon and Wendy have the tendency to be competitive.
Despite the bitterness they feel towards their father, Jon and Wendy travel to Sun City to make arrangements for Lenny’s future. This is where matters get rough. With no other options, Jon decides to place his father in a nursing home in Buffalo. The process of moving Lenny to the nursing home yields some of the most painful scenes in the entire film, as the audience is taken through every ugly detail of the affair. While Lenny has no idea what day it is, much less where he’s living, his children are struggling with the decision to leave him somewhere as cold and unwelcoming as a nursing home. The argument between Jon and Wendy after seeing their father’s room at the home is perhaps the most powerful scene in the film—the rawness displayed by Hoffman as he yells out his frustrations literally caused me to gasp.
Without the brilliant acting of both Hoffman and Linney, “The Savages” may have been a lost cause. Hoffman is brilliant no matter what character he takes on, although his acting is especially powerful when confronted with a dramatic role; his work earned him a Golden Globes nomination for Best Actor. Hoffman’s co-star, Linney, also justly received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
As both the director and writer, Jenkins has ultimate control over the film. She seems to have found her niche with stories exploiting flawed families, although her latest project isn’t nearly as bad as her previous work, “Slums of Beverly Hills,” which took tacky to a whole new level. Thankfully, she decided to tone down the raunchy comedy in favor of more subtle humor.
Throughout the journey of one family’s troubles, the audience is shown a range of emotions, which made it slightly difficult to sit through the entire film. For those who believe this is a feel-good comedy as suggested by the advertisements, allow me to attest to the seriousness of “The Savages.” Although there are a few moments of sarcastic humor, this film is meant to be an authentic look into a situation affecting millions of people around the world. While it tends to be a bit depressing at times, “The Savages” is realism at its best.