| Chosen Family takes place in a beautiful and affluent community in Rhode Island, and it's about how hard life is. Yes, you read that right, it's primarily about rich people who can afford to live in one of the nicest coastal towns in the country struggle through life's ups and downs. It is better than that, but be prepared. | | 2024
Directed by: Heather Graham
Screenplay by: Heather Graham
Starring: Heather Graham, John Brotherton
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The characters don't consider themselves to be all that rich, their conversations say they're upper middle class, in nice houses and problems that aren't money related. It's not quite champagne problems though as they do have issues that affect a lot of people. And when it's set and filmed on location in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, it is undeniably a beautiful film to look at.
Ann (Heather Graham) is a yoga teacher who ignores calls from her parents (and curiously a phone that only has a decline button and no answer button - somebody spent more time on the physical production design rather than props). Anyways, she's on her way to pick up her sister from rehab, who has to be discharged into her care and then is going to live in their parents' garage. Clio (Julia Stiles) is a surly, angry, bitter young woman who would much rather be high on drugs than this current, supposedly-sober, straight out of rehab state she's in. She wears all black while Ann is in pretty sundresses.
While I disagree with the film's premise that Ann is a happy, helpful woman who can't help herself but say yes to everybody and solve other people's problems, I can see their attempts to portray that. In reality, Ann attempts to appease her mother who has an ill-advised music dream and she occasionally picks her sister up when she's in trouble. That's it. She has plenty of time for herself.
The movie is a lot better when it becomes a romantic comedy. Ann tells us about her string of bad boyfriends and then her friends decide to intervene and pick a man for her. Meet Steve (John Brotherton), an almost perfect man. Finally Ann is in a happy and healthy relationship and it's going so great that it's time to meet his daughter, a young girl not handling her parents' divorce all that well.
As John Brotherton has a habit of doing, he makes the movie better. When it's focused on Ann and Steve's relationship, it's about real and complex adult relationships, issues that other 40- and 50-something single people will relate to. And it's still funny.
I am sorry to report that it doesn't remain a romantic comedy. The resolution to Ann and Clio's relationship is handled well, again it tackles real issues. For the most part, Chosen Family is a funny and thoughtful look at adult relationships. I just don't like the lead character quite as much as the movie does. It really plays up how wonderful Ann is, and that becomes too much at times. |
