The Family Fang is about two adult children of famous performance artists who are trying to escape their parents’ destructive manipulation and live their own lives. When an accident forces them to return home, they are forced to deal with their parents’ actions once again. The Family Fang stars Nicole Kidman as the daughter, Jason Bateman as the son, Christopher Walken as the father and Maryann Plunkett as the mother. Kathryn Hahn plays the mother, and Jason Butler Harner plays the father in the flashbacks.
If Christopher Walken is in a film, I will watch it regardless of the quality. I may not watch the movie right away, but I will get to it at some point. The Family Fang had strong moments: the childhood depictions of initial joy and unity in the mischief of their performance, which was more like play, the adult children’s mantras, the son’s metaphorical story. Unfortunately, most of The Family Fang felt contrived. I am not a fan of movies or TV shows that frame a narrative using the “how we got here” technique where the story opens on a scene that will occur later in the movie, especially since The Family Fang uses a better framing device.
I preferred when The Family Fang uses old visual recordings of earlier pubic interactive performance pieces and footage from an abandoned documentary project interspersed with unfolding current events. Parallel story lines from different time periods are better than a flashback within a flashback.
Even though the entire viewing experience was not enjoyable, I did find value in the essence of the story. If these children could survive, they can get through anything. “Imagine you’re dead…If we can imagine our own deaths, but still manage to came back to life then it proves we can survive anything. Don’t be afraid. Own the moment. If you’re in control, the chaos will happen around you, not to you.”
Walken is likeable even when he is venal, and he plays a thoroughly detestable father and husband here. He is thoughtless, selfish and domineering. He takes all the oxygen from the room. Harner, who normally does not play likeable characters, works as the father in flashbacks because you can see why the father is initially appealing and fun to his wife and children. I will always be a Hahn fan, and she generally plays strong characters so when Plunkett’s vulnerability is revealed later on, it is the only surprise in The Family Fang. Seriously do you not see what you are allowing yourself to give up for THAT guy? The mother’s name is Camille, and she did remind me of Parenthood’s Bonnie Bedelia-tribute?
Even though Nicole Kidman’s film company bought the film rights for the book, and Jason Bateman directed The Family Fang, they were believable as individual characters, but as a family. Bateman looked a wreck and was too thin so he definitely was not phoning in his performance and worked when he was not a part of the family dynamic.
The Family Fang has good bones and resonates emotionally, but suffers from independent film contrivance. I would check out The Family Fang if you are a fan of the cast or stories of how adult children deal with toxic family relationships, but don’t expect to adore the film.