The Savages

Play trailer

The Savages

R

2007

1h 53m

Drama

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Wendy Savage (Laura Linney), a struggling playwright, has little to do with her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a college professor and author. However, the siblings must find a way to work together when their father, Lenny (Philip Bosco), slides into senility and must be placed in a nursing home.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Thanks to a tender, funny script from director Tamara Jenkins, and fine performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, this film delivers a nuanced, beautifully three-dimensional look at the struggles and comforts of family bonds.

Read Critics Reviews

Christopher Orr

The New Republic

Linney and Hoffman are both terrific, and Jenkins's script is pointed and perceptive, but the film's arc is a little flat.

Sep 22, 2008

Full Review

Alonso Duralde

MSNBC

While writer-director Tamara Jenkins (Slums of Beverly Hills) lets things get a little mushy towards the end, the film brilliantly portrays a difficult family moment made even more complicated by her characters' overweening narcissism.

Rated: 4/5

May 1, 2008

Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

It's billed as a comedy. You may or may not find much to laugh at.

Feb 7, 2008

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

Scabrously funny at times, but even the humor comes from its reckoning with the ugliness of life.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 30, 2022

Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

The Savages underscores in a humane manner how disposable the elderly are in America and how burdened and neglected their caregivers.

Mar 5, 2021

Full Review

Nando Salvá

Cinemanía (Spain)

[Director and screenwriter Tamara Jenkins'] great dramatic achievement is in the continuous and subtle changes of tone. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Nov 5, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Philip C.

My personal favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman movie and performance.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/13/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/24/25

Full Review

Gareth v

Mature storytelling that looks at adult sibiling rivalry and unresolved family issues centred around the declined of the family matriach. Linney and Hoffman as always are standouts in this movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/25

Full Review

Cynthia T

This film effectively conveyed the myriad complexities of adult sibling rivalry within the cruel realties of a less-than-ideal family history. The actors embodied their characters with humour, sensitivity and fearlessness.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/25

Full Review

Geke g

Tamara jenkins is top tier director right there

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/24

Full Review

Munkhchimeg T

Really good mixture about bonding, family and struggles. Good to see deal with them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Tamara Jenkins

Director

Laura Linney

Wendy Savage

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Jon Savage

Philip Bosco

Lenny Savage

Peter Friedman

Larry

Gbenga Akinnagbe

Jimmy

Friends With Money

72%

40%

Friends With Money

Watchlist

Thumbsucker

70%

71%

Thumbsucker

Watchlist

The Darjeeling Limited

69%

78%

The Darjeeling Limited

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Darjeeling Limited

Introducing the Dwights

52%

50%

Introducing the Dwights

Watchlist

Synecdoche, New York

69%

71%

Synecdoche, New York

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RT on DVD: Cloverfield, Charlie Wilson and 2008’s Worst-Reviewed Film

Laura Linney on The Savages: The RT Interview

Juno, No Country for Old Men Among Writers Guild Award Nominees

View more photos

Synopsis

Wendy Savage (Laura Linney), a struggling playwright, has little to do with her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a college professor and author. However, the siblings must find a way to work together when their father, Lenny (Philip Bosco), slides into senility and must be placed in a nursing home.

Director: Tamara Jenkins
Producer: Ted Hope, Anne Carey, Erica Westheimer
Screenwriter: Tamara Jenkins
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: This Is That Productions
Rating: R (Some Sensuality|Language)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 28, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.6M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS

Most Popular at Home Now