The unexpected Golden Lion winner at Venice now has a trailer.
Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother” is a stripped-down, ultra-minimalist exploration of modern family dynamics. It’s incredibly low-key, even by Jarmusch’s standards.
It was last April word got out about Jarmusch’s film getting rejected by the Cannes Film Festival. It was quite the surprise since Jarmusch tends to get a free pass at Cannes, and the prior month, Variety had reported that the film was one of the few films locked for competition.
Composed of three loosely connected stories—sons and daughters with their fathers and mothers—the film thrives on pauses, absences, and awkward silences, turning what might seem like dead air into quietly compelling moments.
Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, and Cate Blanchett deliver understated performances that linger, even as the narrative deliberately avoids resolution. It’s still a strangely affecting piece that rewards patience and close attention, but never hits a major high.
Not an essential work in Jarmusch’s catalog, which includes “Stranger Than Paradise,” “Paterson,” “Broken Flowers,” “Only Lovers Left Alive,” “Down by Law,” and “Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai.” Those are my personal favorites.
“Father Mother Sister Brother” hits NYC/LA theaters on December 24 via MUBI.