Steven Lidz's father Sid (John Turturro) is a wacky inventor. His loving mother Selma (Andie MacDowell) gets sick and is restricted in bed. The kids don't like the new caretaker Amelia (Celia Weston) who tells them that their mother is dying. Steven runs away to stay with his oddball religious anti-fascist radical uncles Danny (Michael Richards) and Arthur (Maury Chaykin). Steven grows closer to his uncle and even adopts the name Franz.
Diane Keaton as a director brings a gentle touch to the mostly quirky characters in Franz Lidz's life. I really like the quirkiness but I keep wondering if there is more to the story. I'm not arguing for some manufactured family drama or a shoot em up car chase. There is definitely material here like a struggle for religion and identity. For goodness sakes, the mother dies. It's all handled with such a sweet gentleness that it's hard to feel the conflict or any anger or frustration or any of the harsher emotions. The drama is not elevated high enough.
Diane Keaton as a director brings a gentle touch to the mostly quirky characters in Franz Lidz's life. I really like the quirkiness but I keep wondering if there is more to the story. I'm not arguing for some manufactured family drama or a shoot em up car chase. There is definitely material here like a struggle for religion and identity. For goodness sakes, the mother dies. It's all handled with such a sweet gentleness that it's hard to feel the conflict or any anger or frustration or any of the harsher emotions. The drama is not elevated high enough.