Family Games (2018) Poster

(2018)

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2/10
mumbo jumbo GARBAGE....
jinear19 April 2020
This thing was a mess. Poorly written, poorly directed aimless conversational diarrhea. Like how the director gets all her friends to review it on the same day. Coincidence? I think not
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2/10
Piece of (f)art
gherahtraitte6 May 2019
Watched this weirdest film just to check how bad Megan Boone really is. It's so slow that you might check your remote control several times to see if it was on pause. Blank faces, bad acting, slow going... looks like someone's school project (is it?). Seriously, thank God for 72 mins. I already forgot what it was about anyway
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10/10
Strong debut
thegretalink5 November 2019
Beautiful cinematography orchestrates this brooding thriller about a dysfunctional family whose chickens (may) finally be coming home to roost. Director Suzuya Bobo has a keen sense on the undertones that lay beneath troubled families and I look forward to seeing what dark tales she has in store for us...
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10/10
Super cool indie film
brookealert5 November 2019
Was so impressed with the acting in this tense drama! Love these actors from House of Cards and The Blacklist! Def worth it!
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10/10
Beautifully Unsettling
amandahernandez-613919 November 2019
Excellent- unsettling, mysterious, stylish, dangerous, beautifully shot and acted. Really excited to see what this director will do next!
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10/10
Great watch!
molly-barrett909 November 2019
Love seeing Larry Bryggman from my fave show as the world turns in such a well written/directed/acted movie.
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10/10
Very Bergman-esque
michaelbunting8 November 2019
Actually it's also a lot like Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf in a good way. I thought there was some pretty great dark comedy and one liners. So uncomfortable... but also enjoyable. An indie must see! Loved the music too.
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10/10
Love Derek Cecil in this
matthewsbayer8 November 2019
Wasn't sure what to expect but damn Larry Bryggman and Derek Cecil! What a pair. Broadway legend with the guy I love from House of Cards. Completely didn't expect that performance from Megan Boone (in a good way). Film has a creepy sort of Sam Shepherd vibe too. Really stands out from the typical "coming of age" aimlessness that usually drives me crazy
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9/10
Artful directorial debut
drtariqshadid19 July 2019
This little gem of a movie, which is best watched without prior knowledge of the storyline, takes you to the countryside, and opens with Megan Boone (The Blacklist) and Derek Cecil (House of Cards) sitting in the back of a limousine driving up to a family estate. From the outset, it sets the atmosphere with eerie and raspy electric guitars in the background, and both characters clearly appearing tense and unsettled. They are a couple named Sloane and Barrett, and you can tell they have something to hide. The time has come to keep you guessing what the secret is, and that's what is going to pull you in until the very end.

As they arrive at the estate, they are welcomed by an elderly couple, played by Larry Bryggman (Spy Game) and Alison Fraser (In The Blood). It appears that the beautiful but visibly frustrated Sloane is returning home to her broken-spirited father, and something seems to be really off from the outset. Sloane is clearly harnessing a seething anger, but it is not immediately evident what emotional disturbances are hidden behind her embittered eyes.

As the story slowly unravels, writer and director Suzuya Bobo takes good care not to give too much away, in this intense slow burner which also happens to be her directorial debut. As most of the scenes take place inside the estate, the surroundings are cleverly utilized to emphasize and enhance the tense mood that keeps gradually building up throughout the story. Cinematography is kept simple and effective, probably in order to keep the viewer's focus on the personalities in the movie.

In many ways it can be seen as a character study, and as the film score is kept very limited, and many scenes are shot with silence in the background, it often has the feel of a theater play, requiring the actors to perform at the best of their abilities. Megan Boone shows off her capabilities as a mature and talented actress, giving Sloane a significantly different personality than the Elizabeth Keen she plays in The Blacklist. The cast has been chosen well, with Alison Fraser playing a highly peculiar, often dissimulating middle aged lady. Derek Cecil's bewildered facial expressions continuously challenge you to try and figure out what is going on in his mind, and Larry Bryggman plays the role of the father with the seasoned skills of a true veteran thespian. Towards the end, Margaret Anne Florence gets to play a smaller role as Stephanie, the elegant daughter of Sloane's father's new wife.

The family clearly is severely dysfunctional, and all interactions between each and every family member appear to be burdened by some kind of former trauma, or fractured relationship. It requires good directing and a well-considered choice of camera angles to manage to keep the tension building up, and to properly convey the multifaceted emotions of the characters, and Suzuya Bobo has done an excellent job at this. There aren't many cutscenes, and the majority of the acting takes place in real time. Not an easy job to pull off.

Watch this movie with an open mind, and in a comfortable environment, and you might catch some of the little clues that the plot writers have planted here and there, that may just help you predict what all this continuously increasing tension is leading up to. The genre is drama, although I feel it has a dose of film noir and dark comedy running through it, as some of the scenes have the characters bursting out in absurd behavior, when they succumb to the unbearable tensions caused by their dysfunctional interactions.

I highly recommend this movie to people who are into character study type of storylines, and who have the patience to lean back, watch closely, and try picking up on the many intriguing and puzzling little details this artful flick has to offer. I would say: a great start for Suzuya Bobo as a director. I'm ready for the next one.
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10/10
Wow ...just WOW!!
shaungough128 October 2019
Great film. Tense! Amazing performances and a healthy dose of dark humor. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
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10/10
All of the emotions!
thedouglasturner9 November 2019
The ominous drive from the city to the country for the opening scene, always has me on the edge of my seat. And then stayed on the edge wondering what was coming next, exactly how I want a film like this to be. Smart, funny, a little scary-just like real family life. No spoilers... so I'll finish by complimenting the film direction and of course the acting.
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10/10
Saw on Tubi
smlaflaneur9 November 2019
Saw this on Tubi and was really impressed! Thank goodness it wasn't another mumblecore aimless faux comedy. Instead it was an incredibly layered family drama I really related to. Enjoyable and high brow :) totally didn't see the end coming!
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10/10
Family Games
CharlyBivona9 November 2019
I was drawn in within the first 30 seconds. Moment-to-moment, beat-to-beat it felt crystal clear and pointed and gave me goosebumps. The dialogue is incredible. The music blew me away. Every single shot was beautifully set. This cast filled up every nook and cranny of Bobo's script with sharp, complex choices. Thrilling.
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10/10
Loved it! Highly recommend
nicolemlindner13 November 2019
Action packed, thrilling, mysterious, stylish- I really enjoyed this and it kept me on the edge throughout!
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10/10
Pleasant
davidzinga10 April 2020
This movie brings up the story where a young woman and her boyfriend return to her childhood home to ruin her father's remarriage. The film was filled with so many secrets and suspense. Suzuya Bobo has done an excellent job as a director in making this movie worth watching.

When you direct movies like this, there comes great responsibility to make it successful. The movie is worth your time and highly recommended!
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