Surviving Family

This film is a must see- it sheds light mental health and how vital it is to get help- written and produced by Mara Leseman- excellent film!

A very well-written film on a very critical topic - as a mental health advocate and film maker, I know first hand how mental health affects every family, every community. Casting was impeccable and the chemistry between key actors was right on point!

There is dramatic scenes as well as some comedic scenes sprinkled in as well.

Surviving Family paints a realistic view of a dysfunctional family and the resultant baggage each member carries. It demonstrates how children can be affected by tragedies especially when their "whys?" go unanswered and how the consequences of family secrets can distort the truth and affect their relationships as they grow up. Every once in a while a movie challenges you to think.This is that kind of movie. The actors are great. Phyllis Somerville, a veteran actress finally clears the air about the Malone family for niece Terry played by talented Sarah Wilson. Her fiancée is played by Billy Magnussen who went from this movie on to Broadway and is now debuting in Steven Spielberg's INTO THE WOODS.Incidentally, he's a hunk. For those of you who are Soprano fans Vincent Pastore plays the mayor of the town. This is a well written, well acted, well photographed unpretentious movie that makes you think.See it. You'll like it.

Surviving Family, is as good as a movie comes for indie productions, I thoroughly enjoyed watching, it was well written, well shot and well acted, a breath of fresh air compared to the Hollywood factory. With actors portraying family members we can all relate to, it draws us into the movie with compelling performances scene after scene. The good reviews it has received so far are purely fair comment on a deserving piece of work. I especially found the actors believable, which is often lacking on low budget films where casting is often an afterthought. Unsurprisingly it has had it's fair share of prizes and awards. If you haven't watched an indie film before then this will be a revelation to see what can be done without big names and even bigger budgets.

I found this to be a very touching movie. I would give it a ten out of ten. When you watch it you just get this feeling of sympathy for all of the characters and can completely relate to some parts. I found some of the acting and connection between certain characters to be phenomenal, especially the connection between Tara and Phyllis, their chemistry was very touching.I defiantly had to fight some tears back during the movie. After seeing the movie i went out to get some dinner with some close friends who had also seen it and sure enough the only thing we talked about was the movie.Though it is not the best movie I have seen, I was definitely left in awe when the the screen went blank.

The subject matter in "Surviving Family" was so relate-able right from the start, and I immediately connected with Terry. Her conceptions and beliefs about her family relationships were without question. But as the movie develops and secrets revealed, the transformation of each character's vulnerability is unveiled and changes your first impression of each family member. The subject matter is sensitive and everyone can relate to at least one of the issues that families tend to sweep under the rug.

The movie is well written and directed, has the right balance of humor, anger, communication and lack thereof, and the actors perfectly cast to their characters. And I must say, the final scene blew me away - totally was not expecting it! Well done!!