When the shiny wrapping of the meticulously packaged nucleus of the family finally peels away and all the neuroses of modern society and its individuals burst forth, what we get is the modern family.
And while Marius from ‘Everybody in Our Family’ defends his new family structure as normal in front of his father, the bloody chaos that follows the concept of ‘normality’ is placed under a big, fat question mark. The divorced Marius struggles with all his might to take his daughter on a planned vacation to the sea, but when he steps into the apartment of his ex-wife, who lives there with their daughter, her mother, and her new partner, it becomes clear that he will not easily escape from it. Communication among the characters soon transforms from forced politeness into a barrage of creative curses and violence, while the spontaneity of the dialogue skillfully gives the entire farce the impression of a documentary snippet of reality. The dynamic handheld camera only amplifies this impression, highlighting the characters’ nervous movements as it follows them through the cramped spaces of the apartment. Comically uncomical, the film captivates with its excellent sense of timing and the naturalness with which it strikes right at the nerve of the gray areas of family relationships.
Directed by: Radu Jude
Cast: Serban Pavlu, Sofia Nicolaescu, Gabriel Spahiu, Mihaela Sirbu, Tamara Buciuceanu-Botez
Romania/Netherlands, 2012.
Everybody in Our Family, 2012.
4/5
