The Savages

Play trailer

The Savages

R

2007

1h 53m

Drama

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Wendy Savage (Laura Linney), a struggling playwright, has little to do with her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a college professor and author. However, the siblings must find a way to work together when their father, Lenny (Philip Bosco), slides into senility and must be placed in a nursing home.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Thanks to a tender, funny script from director Tamara Jenkins, and fine performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, this film delivers a nuanced, beautifully three-dimensional look at the struggles and comforts of family bonds.

Read Critics Reviews

Christopher Orr

The New Republic

09/22/2008

Linney and Hoffman are both terrific, and Jenkins's script is pointed and perceptive, but the film's arc is a little flat.

Go to Full Review

Alonso Duralde

MSNBC

05/01/2008

4/5

While writer-director Tamara Jenkins (Slums of Beverly Hills) lets things get a little mushy towards the end, the film brilliantly portrays a difficult family moment made even more complicated by her characters' overweening narcissism.

Go to Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

02/07/2008

It's billed as a comedy. You may or may not find much to laugh at.

Go to Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

11/30/2022

8/10

Scabrously funny at times, but even the humor comes from its reckoning with the ugliness of life.

Go to Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

03/05/2021

The Savages underscores in a humane manner how disposable the elderly are in America and how burdened and neglected their caregivers.

Go to Full Review

Nando Salvá

Cinemanía (Spain)

11/05/2020

4/5

[Director and screenwriter Tamara Jenkins'] great dramatic achievement is in the continuous and subtle changes of tone. [Full review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

thiago s

@Thiagostone Jul 24

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

See more

Gareth v

@geewah Jul 23

Mature storytelling that looks at adult sibiling rivalry and unresolved family issues centred around the declined of the family matriach. Linney and Hoffman as always are standouts in this movie.

See more

Cynthia T

02/24/2025

This film effectively conveyed the myriad complexities of adult sibling rivalry within the cruel realties of a less-than-ideal family history. The actors embodied their characters with humour, sensitivity and fearlessness.

See more

Geke g

08/11/2024

Tamara jenkins is top tier director right there

See more

Munkhchimeg T

08/11/2024

Really good mixture about bonding, family and struggles. Good to see deal with them.

See more

Bahad j

08/11/2024

The costumes of the actors seemed to be very real, as if they were in their roles. The dress is really beautiful.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Tamara Jenkins

Director

Laura Linney

Wendy Savage

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Jon Savage

Philip Bosco

Lenny Savage

Peter Friedman

Larry

Gbenga Akinnagbe

Jimmy

Friends With Money

72%

40%

Friends With Money

Watchlist

Thumbsucker

70%

71%

Thumbsucker

Watchlist

The Darjeeling Limited

69%

78%

The Darjeeling Limited

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Darjeeling Limited

Introducing the Dwights

52%

50%

Introducing the Dwights

Watchlist

Synecdoche, New York

69%

71%

Synecdoche, New York

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RT on DVD: Cloverfield, Charlie Wilson and 2008’s Worst-Reviewed Film

Laura Linney on The Savages: The RT Interview

Juno, No Country for Old Men Among Writers Guild Award Nominees

View more photos

Synopsis

Wendy Savage (Laura Linney), a struggling playwright, has little to do with her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a college professor and author. However, the siblings must find a way to work together when their father, Lenny (Philip Bosco), slides into senility and must be placed in a nursing home.

Director: Tamara Jenkins
Producer: Ted Hope, Anne Carey, Erica Westheimer
Screenwriter: Tamara Jenkins
Distributor: Fox
Production Co: This Is That Productions
Rating: R (Some Sensuality|Language)
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 28, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.6M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS

Most Popular at Home Now