The Perfect Family

I think the key word to describe Anne Renton debut feature film is Comedy as this film above all is that, a comedy. I laughed a little as is almost impossible not to laugh at all the silliness movie has and please remember that I don't like comedies, I don't like American humor and is very hard for me to laugh -only dark, very dark, humor makes me laugh. So even when I don't really know -or don't want to know- why I laugh with this comedy, I did. Surprise.

My biggest surprise was to discover how controversial this movie is around the net as I wasn't expecting that at all. But then, when thinking more deeply, controversy is understandable as movie story deals with Catholicism and everything that religion doesn't accept or more clearly, condemns. Divorce, adultery, homosexuality, same sex marriage, child out of wedlock, abortion, and alcoholism are some of the themes that pop out from story; but the funny thing is that all pops out after I think a lot, not while watching this movie where I somehow liked the lightness and the non-preaching style used to tell a story told so many times before.

Film tells the story of one very religious mom that is competing for a Church award that could bring the ultimate prize: absolute absolution from your sins. And she needs that kind of absolution as even when she has behaved exemplary, as many, she has hidden sins. So story starts when she's told about the nomination to Woman of the Year thanks to all she has done for the Church in her community and her perfect family. But her family is far from perfect as his son left his family and is seeing an older woman, her daughter lives with another woman, is about to get married and is pregnant; and her husband a recuperated alcoholic is getting tired of living a life of lies. She is unable to accept anything, she's in denial, tries to meddle in their family affairs and in the end the very predictable story is all about accepting everything. Yes, story is worth of Lifetime channel and so it is movie as a movie.

But somehow movie is more watchable than many other movies with similar themes and style, which was highly surprising for me. Movie has a lesbian interest secondary story that I find quite enjoyable as I found it to be quite playful with something else that will share. The daughter, Shannon is played by Emily Deschanel -better known as Bones for many-, her partner who becomes her spouse is Angela (Angelique Cabral), and in another story Bones and Angela love each other too, in a different way, that many will like to see evolve like it does here. So funny even if is coincidental, or perhaps is not.

Anyway movie is not a masterpiece in any sense but is good enough to have a fun entertainment moment if you just enjoy the ride in the predictable story and forget about all the controversial message that many see, even when unfortunately most is a portrait of reality for many all over the world. Sigh.

Enjoy!!

Watch trailer @MOC