2022 Directed by Stephanie Laing
The Worth Family has been divided for years but when the matriarch, Grandma Mabel dies suddenly, the family has to come together. The story of Family Squares takes the Worth Family on a journey discovering that not only did Grandma Mabel keep some secrets, so did everyone else. They find their way back to each other and realize that while you can’t choose your family, you can choose to be friends with them.
Rodina online, משפחה בריבוע, 패밀리 스퀘어스
USA
USA
watching this and pretending i’m on a zoom call with jonah veep for the entire hour and a half running time aha something is definitely wrong with me but i’m twirling my hair btw
there is nothing more insufferable than watching someone else's family argue
"How do you spend the first day without someone you love? Especially when you can't be with your family to share the memories and the love they created." - Bobby
Family Squares is ostensibly a film shot very early in the covid pandemic, and it does utilise a good family narrative that meshes well with the lockdown situation. Boasting a stellar cast, there is some back and forth comedy, but it’s never knee-slapping enough to be called hilarious. The sound quality is very poor, so much so that the narrator sounded like they were speaking into a bad microphone, and choosing to use phone call quality audio was a bad decision. The film does converge a lot of performers I never thought I’d see in the same film together which is a plus, but ultimately this film will fall to the bottom of the barrel when it comes to covid-lockdown-films.
they did some cool stuff with this but i may have missed a fair bit bc i was busy zoom flirting with timothy simons. took the tape off my webcam and everything
i'm genuinely surprised by how endearing this is, like i kind of couldn't help but enjoy it, especially the dynamic between judy greer, margo martindale and casey wilson. really all of this is propelled by solid character actors, amateurish design and the strange awkward quality it has when alternating between feeling like disjointed improv and sentimental dramedy. i almost teared up at one or two parts and then others felt completely off & unnatural. i don’t like pandemic films, but i can appreciate this one’s intentions and the ending dedication
Leftist try to find catharsis in a covid ravaged landscape through technology and family squabbling. A deranged matriarch (presented in that harmlessly cute way leftists essay their nutjobs) drops a series of post-death truth videos to help bring her atomized offspring back together. Problem is, the filmmakers are in love with their distancing technology. Most of the film is a series of Zoom Meetings where professional actors riff amidst lavish upper-middle class backgrounds. None of these people need each other, they are consumers and status seekers and that's how we understand them—that's where they get their solace. So you never buy into Lesbian Great-Grandma's (obviously this late in life lesbian was created to signal progressive bonafides and help assuage the embarrassing wealth these characters luxuriate in) quest or believe the children can receive any help from this old, nasty woman.
I’m not a fan of movies with Covid in them, and I stumbled upon this one by pure chance, but it was surprisingly sweet and endearing, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a fun and charming look at family, broken relationships, secrets, and grief, the whole Zoom thing kind of works, and the cast is just filled with great people.
June Squibb is a treasure, I love her.
The actors in this are really trying to work with the writing and the direction, but the combination of really poor sound design, editing, and cinematography with how the story is told really drags this along. Too much of this is held down by its COVID-based storyline and the use of Zoom, like we can clearly tell actors are not in the same room together and are mostly filming seperately to the end. And I don’t think the story is inherently bad, just the way it told was.
I laughed a lot idk if it’s because I’m drunk but I also cried a lot, reminded me so much of my family dynamic. Just a beautiful movie from beginning to end.
A unique take on a pandemic film that showcases the good and bad side of families — and the fact that we love each other through it all.
FULL REVIEW: mamasgeeky.com/2022/02/family-squares-movie-review.html
The movie is about a family dealing with the loss of the matriarch of the family. That part of the story is interesting and at times pretty funny. The amazing part of this movie is that this is basically a Zoom movie...as most of the movie features 7 to 9 different characters on screen at the same time. Filmed during Co-Vid.....I actually think a behind the scenes look at the how the movie was made would be interesting as well. Final thought: A movie that might age well.
