Next up was The Savages. The two-time Oscar nominee tells the story of two middle-aged siblings, Wendy and Jon Savage (Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman), who must deal with their father's ailing health. Wendy and Jon must also juggle their own personal ordeals, including Wendy's professional failures and Jon's commitment issues, as they struggle to care for a man who never cared for them.What's good about it: Really, just about everything. Writer and director Tamara Jenkins has crafted two of the most interesting, well-developed characters in recent memory and provided a somber yet moving (and sometimes even humorous) story as their backdrop. Lucky for her, the seemingly invincible Hoffman-Linney duo not only skillfully interpret her screenplay, but enhance it. If the Academy were to give out MVP awards, Hoffman would surely have nabbed it for his past year's work. Between this and Charlie Wilson's War, he has cemented his spot as one of my all-time favorite actors.
What's not so good about it: In my opinion, it's nearly flawless, but some might find it a bit long and tedious.
Bottom line: Wonderfully acted and written; one of the best films of 2007.
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