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In the Family

Play trailer Poster for In the Family 2011 2h 49m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After his partner dies in a car accident, a gay man (Patrick Wang) must fight for custody of the boy (Sebastian Brodziak) he's come to love as his own son.

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In the Family

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Critics Consensus

In the Family uses one couple's tragedy to examine the legal meaning of parenthood - and make a persuasive argument for a more inclusive approach to family law.

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Critics Reviews

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Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle To see it is to sit there for long stretches amazed at how clumsy, fake and misguided it is. But then, five minutes later you might easily be riveted and moved by its awkward brilliance. Rated: 2/4 Dec 7, 2012 Full Review Marsha McCreadie Village Voice Trevor St. John is cute and broody-mouthed as the deceased lover; Wang, the movie's writer-director, is touchingly, disarmingly open; and the kid, Sebastian Banes, is adorable. Nov 13, 2012 Full Review Keith Uhlich Time Out No doubt you've noticed the nearly three-hour runtime, but please don't let that dissuade you: Every moment counts in this gripping tale ... Rated: 5/5 Nov 13, 2012 Full Review Nathanael Hood Unseen Films ...a humanist triumph. Rated: 9/10 Jan 6, 2020 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Wang has created what sounds like a hot topic potboiler on paper and made a film that's as hopefully humanistic as it is melancholically realistic. Aug 6, 2019 Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row An emotionally shattering denouement to one of the year's most truly special debuts, heralding the arrival of a thrilling new cinematic voice. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 6, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alec B The potential for over-the-top, weepy melodrama with this kind of material is obvious, but Patrick Wang opts for quiet realism. While the film sidesteps nearly all of the "movie-of the week" clichés by showing how in many cases the best response to intolerance isn't righteous anger or protest but rather impassioned, mature discussion and forgiveness. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/28/23 Full Review nilufer e It was way too long and slow for my taste but it had what you would expect from a family drama, realistic and sentimental. Good acting and cute and lovable characters. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Not bad at all, even though kinda melodramatic in blood. But 170 minutes is real too overlong for a feature film no matter what. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Maybe one of the most poignant movies I have seen. Definitely worth the long length. Patrick Wang is well worth watching in the future as both a director and as an actor. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Claude H Needs editing but really good story line. Remember folks to keep your wills updated! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/22/14 Full Review Audience Member The potential for over-the-top, weepy melodrama with this kind of material is obvious, but Patrick Wang opts for quiet realism. While the film sidesteps nearly all of the "movie-of the week" clichés, the glacial pace could be difficult for some people to endure (nearly three hours worth of this story probably isn't necessary), fortunately Wang makes the important moments count, so if you are patient "In the Family" is quite rewarding. Another thing that helps distinguish this film is its subtle demonstration of "Bourgeois Homophobia" (The kind of passive aggressive discrimination that's becoming more common in America than the violent hatred of old) and how perhaps the best response to it isn't righteous anger or protest but rather impassioned, mature discussion and forgiveness. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis After his partner dies in a car accident, a gay man (Patrick Wang) must fight for custody of the boy (Sebastian Brodziak) he's come to love as his own son.
Director
Patrick Wang
Screenwriter
Patrick Wang
Production Co
In the Family
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2017
Runtime
2h 49m
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