In the Family
In the Family Image
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Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Summary: In the town of Martin, Tennessee, Chip Hines, a precocious six year old, has only known life with his two dads, Cody and Joey. And a good life it is. When Cody dies suddenly in a car accident, Joey and Chip struggle to find their footing again. Just as they begin to, Cody’s will reveals thatat he named his sister as Chip’s guardian. The years of Joey’s acceptance into the family unravel as Chip is taken away from him. In his now solitary home life, Joey searches for a solution. The law is not on his side, but friends are. Armed with their comfort and inspired by memories of Cody, Joey finds a path to peace with the family and closer to his son. (In the Family Production)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Keith Uhlich
    Nov 13, 2012
    100
    Wang has made a confidently intimate movie that is devastatingly larger-than-life.
  2. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    Apr 18, 2012
    100
    What a courageous first feature this is, a film that sidesteps shopworn stereotypes and tells a quiet, firm, deeply humanist story about doing the right thing. It is a film that avoids any message or statement and simply shows us, with infinite sympathy, how the life of a completely original character can help us lead our own.
  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Andrew Schenker
    Nov 1, 2011
    70
    With an incisive understanding of character, believably naturalistic acting, and lengthy scenes that don't feel stretched out so much as given room to breathe, In the Family proves that smart direction and an innate feeling for one's material trumps potentially precious subject matter.
  4. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    Dec 6, 2012
    50
    It is probably unlike any movie you've ever seen, and in ways both bad and good. It is, by turns, inept and brilliant, shockingly amateurish and inspired. To see it is to sit there for long stretches amazed at how clumsy, fake and misguided it is. But then, five minutes later you might easily be riveted and moved by its awkward brilliance.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 2 out of 3
  1. Etslee
    10
    This film is certainly not for everyone, at almost 3 hours length, with minimal soundtrack and mostly static shots. But I sat riveted until the end, as did most of the audience in the theater.

    The plot sounds melodramatic: a gay Asian man fights for the custody of the son he shared with his deceased lover. But writer/director Patrick Wang, who seems clearly influenced by the understated Yasujiro Ozu and Ang Lee, avoids the easy moral conflicts. Instead, he focuses on the daily lives of mostly average and good hearted people. There are no stereotype villains here. Instead of a Hollywood court battle, we have an almost documentary like deposition meeting that still manages to be dramatic and emotionally true.

    The cast is uniformly terrific, especially young Sebastian Banes as Chip and Brian Murray as the lawyer. Certain quietly powerful scenes still stay with me, like the kitchen scene post-funeral and Chip replaying the audiotape of his father's voice calling his name. Patrick Wang will be a talent to follow!    … Collapse
  2. TheDavo
    2
    Endlessly long and muddled. Could have been dramatically shorter with better writing and editing. Completely improbable plot changes and ending. I wanted to get up repeatedly and walk out but the theatre was quite full and that would have distracted other movie patrons. DO NOT SEE this movie based on the reviews shown here. This is NOT a very good movie.… Expand
  3. ipatrick69
    0
    I could only handle sitting through half the movie so if there is some spectacular ending that I missed I am sorry. There was little to no emotion and I felt nothing for the characters. All the rave reviews were strictly because of the subject matter.… Expand

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