Family

Family is a comedy-drama film released in 2018, directed by Laura Steinel in her directorial debut and starring Taylor Schilling, Bryn Vale, Brian Tyree Henry among others. The film is an insightful, hilarious, and sometimes poignant exploration of the nature of family bonds, the complexities of human relationships and the journey of personal growth.

Taylor Schilling, well-known for her portrayal of Piper Chapman in the Netflix dark-comedy series "Orange Is The New Black", takes on another challenging role as Kate Stone. Kate is a hard-charging, ambitious and career-focused woman. Her colleagues regard her as stern, ruthless and somewhat cold, a perception compounded by her aloof social demeanor. Her cold-shouldered personality is rooted in her disdain for everyday social norms and her love for challenging the conventional paths. Her work, marked by an impeccable drive towards achieving goals, takes precedence over her personal life, and as such, she has no time for her family.

The story takes a turn when Kate's estranged brother reaches out, seeking her assistance to look after her niece, Maddie (played by Bryn Vale), a socially awkward and introverted adolescent. Kate, in her self-absorbed world, is left challenged by the thought of looking after Maddie. The task seems impossible due to Kate's lack of understanding of personal relationships and her unfamiliarity with typical family engagements.

However, as the story unfolds, Kate comes across as surprisingly vulnerable and relatable, despite her seemingly impermeable exterior. Although she initially accepts to babysit Maddie reluctantly, she eventually finds common ground with her niece. The association with Maddie, who is quite the black sheep of her school due to her non-conforming nature, leads Kate to gain perspective and develop an unintentional bond, leading to a series of exchanges marking humor, love, and insight.

In a parallel storyline, Kate comes across a kind-hearted, karaoke singing neighbor, played by Brian Tyree Henry. Their friendship adds another layer of depth to Kate's character, as Henry's character introduces Kate to another form of unconventional yet pleasing humane contact.

Family brings in light the journey of an unlikely duo, the weirdly matched aunt-niece pair, who navigate the challenges of everyday teenage life. Maddie, who is as misfit in her school as her aunt is in the world of human relationships, finds an unexpected companion in Kate. The film addresses themes like acceptance, growing up, finding one's own identity, and the colossal impact of human connections.

Bryn Vale portrays Maddie with incredible proficiency, showing an innate capacity to manifest complex emotions and adolescent challenges. Her performance stands out and blends well with the character of Kate, ensuring the movie's narrative stays vibrant, emotional, and engaging.

Taylor Schilling brings depth to what could have been a straightforward, unsympathetic character. Yet, it's the interplay between Kate and Maddie that brings out the film's best moments. Schilling and Vale have a wonderful on-screen chemistry that makes their characters’ evolving bond convincing and thus heartwarming to watch.

Brian Tyree Henry brings a warm and delightful charm to his character, providing a positive and enlightening presence in Kate’s otherwise sterile world.

Family is a film which surprises the audience, subverting expectations of standard family-themed pieces by delivering a story that stands apart with its unconventional characters and plot. The direction by Laura Steinel is refreshing and engaging enough to keep the audience gripped.

On the whole, Family is a touching, humorous and authentic look at life through the lens of the unconventional. It's a journey of growth, acceptance and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. It's an intimate peek into a form of family that defies traditional stereotypes, yet feels just as warm and comforting.