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​I Vortex Media I
October 1, 2024 I 88 mins. I
CAST:
Heather Graham, John Brothertonm,
Andrea Savage, Michael Gross, Julie Halston,
​
DIRECTED BY:
Yoga teacher Ann is trying to find inner peace despite having a manic family, a miserable dating life, and an inability to say no that keeps her busy trying to fix everyone else's problems.
TBA%
* As of 10/11/24
REVIEW BY: Darren Zakus - 10/09/24
RATING 1.5 out of 5
Chosen Family has the right messaging for a film about finding one’s way in life and navigating the complications that come with family, and despite a truly delightful supporting performance from John Brotherton, Heather Graham’s latest film is missing the requisite charm and heart to make for a good time.
It’s easy to knock a film down for misguided intentions that results in a film that conceptually does not work, but that is not the problem with Chosen Family. In fact, the film appears to have all the right intentions as star Heather Graham wrote, directed, produced and starred in this film about a woman having an awakening and realizing what really matters in life, looking past the concept that family always takes priority and re-evaluating what it truly means to be family. The messaging is earnest and seeing some of the bigger stars support this smaller production is nice, but, this makes it all the sadder when the film comes across as a hollow and lifeless tale that fails to create an emotional bond with its viewers.
As previously mentioned, Chosen Family has its heart in the right place as it tells the story of Ann. Seeing how Ann’s family takes her for granted, putting their own needs above her own sanity, and how the picture perfect relationship with Steve begins to crumble as Steve is forced to choose between his daughter and Ann, the themes surrounding found family ring loud and clear. Just because you are related by blood, it doesn’t mean you owe those people your undivided attention at the expense of your own well being, and watching Ann come to this realization and finding her found family should tug on the right amount of heart strings. But sadly, the writing of Ann as a character leaves the audience struggling to connect with her personal struggles, nor is she giving any truly redeeming qualities that make her a character you want to root for either.
The supporting cast of the film is trying their best with their performances to bring life to the film. John Brotherton is a ray of light amidst a messy film as Steve with a carefree and charming performance as the man that Ann begins to fall in love with. His romantic chemistry is enough to make you swoon, even if Graham is unable to reciprocate any of it for a second (even when her character is supposed to be falling head over heels for Steve), which only begs the question of what Brotherton could have achieved with a co-star who was able to match him in their scenes together. Even when it comes to Steve’s shortcomings as a boyfriend that plays into the themes of the film about who we can become chained down by family, Brotherton ensures that Steve never becomes the villain but captures this man trying to do right by his daughter and the woman he loves in a nuanced performance that balances all the mess of his situation. Thomas Lennon, Andrea Savage and Odessa Rae are a delight as Ann’s friends, delivering some solid moments of comedy, even if they are severely underutilized in the film. It’s hard not to love Julia Stiles in a project, and her truly unhinged performance as Ann’s addict sister Clio might just be one of the wildest performances Stiles has ever given.
But the film crumbles under Graham’s lead performance. As Ann, Graham without a doubt captures the frustration that her character faces as she tries to appease her dysfunctional family and look past the glaring red flags in her relationship with Steve, but her performance is lacking any resemblance of life. With a true lack of care for her character, Graham feels like she is merely going through the motions and delivering her lines, rather than embodying the character. Sure, she has some funny moments that reminds you of the success and charm she brought to her most famous roles in films like Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and The Hangover, but Graham may just not be the right star to direct and star in a film at the same time.
Aside from some shining moments from the film’s supporting cast and a truly wonderful performance from John Brotherton that begs the question of why he hasn’t broken free of his Hallmark Channel original movie roles sooner, Chosen Family is largely dead on arrival. Despite its good intentions in the story it wants to tell about the importance of not being weighed down by family and making your family those individuals who support you and make you a better person, Heather Graham’s latest directorial effort is void of any emotion or charm which leaves Chosen Family as one of the most frustrating films of the year despite its talented supporting cast.