Movie Review - Father Mother Sister Brother Grade - A
The rest is silence...
Father Mother Sister Brother is a masterpiece of deconstruction cinema. Easily one of Jim Jarmusch;s most accessible films. It seems to be giving the finger to the conventional narrative, stripping away all aspects of emotional support until all that's left is awkward silence. and simple gestures. You won't find a cuddly dog or even a flickering candle to break the structure of these exquisitely crafted scenes. It's bleak, but not barren. Melancholy, but not sad. Hopeless, but not depressing.
Despite its unusual casting (Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik), of the three segments I liked the first one the least. With its comedic undertones and unnecessary punchline it has the closest thing to a conventional story. The middle segment features some breathtaking moments of cinematography (the overhead shots of the tea setting are some of 2025's best). It's also the most structured and distant, with no promise of hope. The third segment is by far the most effective. It has the film's only moments of love and bonding to give it buoyancy.
Despite his devotion to experimentation Jarmusch still can't escape his love of gimmicks - The halo lighting around the mother's head. The Volvo 1800ES that's a quarter century older than the characters. All seem out of place, but I'm forgiving him for these dalliances as they give some welcome dimension to what might otherwise have been a flat scene. They're still just gimmicks, but until I can think of a better alternative Jarmusch gets a pass.
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother is an important work of cinema. It's totally lacking in judgement and controversy. Some will find it frustrating, pointless, and painfully slow. To them, I believe Greenland 2 is still playing in theaters.
K G Kline is a local actor and playwright