The Talent Given Us

Released Jun 17, 2004

1h 38m

Comedy

Drama

List

59%

51 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Filmmaker Andrew Wagner cast his own mother, father and sisters to portray themselves in this film, which is partially based on their own experiences. Elderly New Yorkers Judy and Allen Wagner wish they were closer to their son, Andrew, who is currently trying to make his mark in Hollywood. The couple drag their adult daughters, Maggie and Emily, along with them on an odyssey across the United States to reunite with Andrew. Along the way, the family's regrets and secrets begin to surface.

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Critics Consensus

The Talent Given Us is an odd hybrid of reality and fiction, but works due to its engaging characters.

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Damon Smith

Time Out

Faux documentary, home movie or unexpurgated family therapy? The Talent Given Us, a funny, surprising ride with a mercurial New York clan, is all three.

Oct 13, 2005

Full Review

Christopher Kelly

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

[A] one-of-a-kind movie that sends the family road-trip genre happily spinning into these self-obsessed, overanalytical times; it's National Lampoon's Vacation as re-imagined by Dr. Phil.

Rated: B+

Oct 13, 2005

Full Review

Shauna Lyon

New Yorker

The notion that there is no escape from one's family is elevated-and ameliorated-by the inkling that the Wagners' story is, in fact, real.

Oct 13, 2005

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

It's a self-indulgent, utterly painful film that attempts to explore all sorts of genres, but it fails.

Apr 29, 2009

Full Review

Doris Toumarkine

Film Journal International

The ranting, whining, kvetching, self-involved family begins to outstay its welcome [...] so that time spent with them can feel like entrapment at a raucous bar mitzvah reception.

Mar 1, 2007

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

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Audience Member

An engaging, often hilarious family portrait that seamlessly blends reality and fiction.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Filmed like a documentary, but some decently-scripted performances are on display... if you can get past a lot of whining.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

India from friend Andrew

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

These characters explode off the screen. There's a very blurry line between what's real and what's not and I enjoyed that. RIYL: Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

From my perspective, to become interested in the movie, you have to be interested in the characters... There was really nothing about the characters I wanted to become interested in...

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Indie feature continually walks the line between poignant character study and obnoxious dysfunctional family comedy - with very mixed results. The performances by the non-actor cast bring a raw honesty of fully-realized characters that you see in very few other films. On the other hand, these characters - as real as they me be - are so annoying, their 90 minute road trip feels like hours of screeching and inane banter. Some of the twists in the loose plot and the broad characterization of the one of the sisters feels very contrived, and it's never really all that funny - but it's still almost worth watching for the naturalistic performances. The generic upbeat score seems out of place and ruins several scenes.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

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Andrew Wagner

Director

Judy Wagner

Judy

Allen Wagner

Allen

Emily Wagner

Emily

Maggie Wagner

Maggie

Judy Dixon

Bumby

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Andrew Wagner cast his own mother, father and sisters to portray themselves in this film, which is partially based on their own experiences. Elderly New Yorkers Judy and Allen Wagner wish they were closer to their son, Andrew, who is currently trying to make his mark in Hollywood. The couple drag their adult daughters, Maggie and Emily, along with them on an odyssey across the United States to reunite with Andrew. Along the way, the family's regrets and secrets begin to surface.

Director: Andrew Wagner
Screenwriter: Andrew Wagner
Distributor: Daddy W. Productions
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 17, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2014
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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