★★☆☆☆

Directed and written by Jim Jarmusch, Father Mother Sister Brother is an anthology depicting the changing relationships between children and their parents. Split into three stories “Father”, “Mother”, and “Sister Brother”, it’s a quiet and melancholic telling of familial ties. Some that feel awfully familiar the older we get.

“Father” is set in a countryside town somewhere in the United States, where Jeff (Adam Driver) and Emily (Mayim Bialik) are on route to visit their estranged father (Tom Waits). Worried about the financial state of their father after the death of their mother, Emily realises that Jeff has been financially supporting him through a laughable amount of issues. When they reunite, the father’s home is untidy and his appearance is unkempt; presenting himself to his children as a financially struggling recluse. But when they leave we find out that he is the polar opposite and is far removed from his children’s life, on his own terms. Instead of a caricature of a sad and hopeless man, he’s put together and financially stable at the expense of his children.

“Mother” finds us in Dublin, awaiting the reunion of a famous author (Charlotte Rampling) and her two daughters Timothea (Cate Blanchett) and Lilith (Vicky Krieps) for their annual tea party. This being the only time they ever see each other through the year, despite the fact that they all live in Dublin, where we’re stuck in a strange conversation with forced interactions. The relationships both daughters have with their mother are visibly strained, but the relationships they hold with each other are equally as distant. Conversations around tea are full of empty words and speaking for the sake of filling the silence. There aren’t any real conversations, just an obligation to show up for family because you have to. 

Finally, “Sister Brother” has a completely opposite tone in comparison to the first two stories. After the passing of their parents in a plane crash, twins – Skye (Indya Moore) Billy (Luka Sabbat) – reunite in Paris where they reconnect through their shared memories of their parents. Arriving in their parents’ empty apartment, they recall memories through images and personal belongings. A bittersweet reminder of the loving parents they once had.

Father Mother Sister Brother is not for everyone. Technically the film is beautiful, and the stories can be moving. Creating narratives that are entirely based in the true yet harsh realities of the hundreds of different types of relationships that can occur between families can be confronting to watch. It no doubt makes you question your own connection with your family and what these relationships mean to you as an adult. But it relied so heavily on dialogue, or a lack of, that I couldn’t help but feel like it dragged on. 

The movie felt almost as empty as some of the conversations that were being had. The vacant space in scenes could have lent to so many nuanced performances from all of these incredible actors, but I constantly found myself bored and instead anticipated the tie-ins to “Bob’s your uncle”, water, or a Rolex watch. The skateboarders at the start of every scene also felt like it was supposed to be a revelatory statement about freedom that ultimately meant nothing to me.

I can see where the director was coming from and can appreciate the technical aspects of the film, but it just couldn’t keep my attention.

Header Image Credit: Madman Entertainment