What They Had – ABC Film Challenge – Female Director Month – W – What They Had – Movie Review
Director: Elizabeth Chomko
Writer: Elizabeth Chomko (Screenplay)
Cast
- Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)
- Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water)
- Robert Forster (Jackie Brown)
- Blythe Danner (Meet the Parents)
- Taissa Farmiga (The Nun)
Plot: Bridget returns home at her brother’s urging to deal with her ailing mother and her father’s reluctance to let go of their life together.
Runtime: 1 Hour 41 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: What They Had starts when Bridget (Swank) heads back to her family with her daughter Emma (Farmiga). Her brother Nick (Shannon) has been seeing the decline in their mother Ruth (Danner) and their father Bert (Forster) reluctance to get help.
Ruth’s health is worsening, and her memory has suddenly led her to go missing. Nick and Bridget are searching for a solution but only end up arguing between themselves. meanwhile. Bert knows he needs help but wants to be the one to help her.
Verdict on What They Had
What They Had is a drama following three generations of a family that must face a difficult decision. They must come together from across the country to see their problems solved with family. All the while they must decide what is best for their mother and wife to aid her with her ailing illness.
This is a drama that gets to reflect real life and the struggles people have when it comes to making these decisions. It puts the question out there about what people might do in the same situation and brings plenty of family drama to the table. The performances carry the movie to the next level too.
Final Thoughts – What They Had is a brilliant drama with excellent performances.