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The Perfect Family

  • 2011
  • PG-13
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel, Michael McGrady, Jason Ritter, and Angelique Cabral in The Perfect Family (2011)
A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of her church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
23 Photos
ComedyDrama

A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who the... Read allA devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.A devoutly Catholic wife and mother has been nominated for one of the church's top awards. She then goes about trying to prove she has the perfect family, refusing to accept them for who they are.

  • Director
    • Anne Renton
  • Writers
    • Paula Goldberg
    • Claire V. Riley
  • Stars
    • Kathleen Turner
    • Emily Deschanel
    • Jason Ritter
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Anne Renton
    • Writers
      • Paula Goldberg
      • Claire V. Riley
    • Stars
      • Kathleen Turner
      • Emily Deschanel
      • Jason Ritter
    • 29User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:19
    U.S. Version

    Photos23

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    + 17
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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Kathleen Turner
    Kathleen Turner
    • Eileen Cleary
    Emily Deschanel
    Emily Deschanel
    • Shannon Cleary
    Jason Ritter
    Jason Ritter
    • Frank Jr.
    Richard Chamberlain
    Richard Chamberlain
    • Monsignor Murphy
    Michael McGrady
    Michael McGrady
    • Frank Cleary
    Shannon Cochran
    Shannon Cochran
    • Mary Donovan
    Sharon Lawrence
    Sharon Lawrence
    • Agnes Dunn
    Angelique Cabral
    Angelique Cabral
    • Angela Reyes
    Elizabeth Peña
    Elizabeth Peña
    • Christina Reyes
    Gregory Zaragoza
    Gregory Zaragoza
    • Louis Reyes
    Kristen Dalton
    Kristen Dalton
    • Theresa Henessy
    Laura Cerón
    Laura Cerón
    • Carmelita
    Scott Michael Campbell
    Scott Michael Campbell
    • Father Joe
    Hansford Rowe
    Hansford Rowe
    • Bishop Donnelly
    Rebecca Wackler
    Rebecca Wackler
    • Sister Joan
    June Squibb
    June Squibb
    • Mrs. Punch
    Bess Meisler
    • Greta Russert
    Mandy June Turpin
    Mandy June Turpin
    • Susan O'Connor
    • Director
      • Anne Renton
    • Writers
      • Paula Goldberg
      • Claire V. Riley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    5.61.6K
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    Featured reviews

    8alicat835

    Not condeming faith.

    I disagree with some of the reviewers here. This movie is true to the point for very devout Catholics. I grew up Catholic and saw a lot of prejuidice towards people because of the faith. The practices and beliefs of the Catholic church have hurt many people and this movie points to those. It also is a movie about growth. Not just in everyday relationships, but with yourself, and how one must balance real life and religion. This movie isn't to put down or make fun of Catholicism, rather those that are obsessed with how they are taken by their community. One can have faith (any faith) and still love and accept everyone, this movie teach this.
    6SnoopyStyle

    not anti-Catholic in the least

    Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) is desperate to be the best Catholic in the neighborhood. So it's great news when she's nominated for Catholic Woman of the year. Except her family is a mess of inappropriateness and she needs to be better than all the rest for the award. Her lesbian daughter Shannon (Emily Deschanel) is pregnant. Her son Frank Cleary Jr. (Jason Ritter) left his wife and kids for the beautician next door. Her husband Frank Cleary (Michael McGrady) can't stand her.

    This is not anti-Catholic in my opinion. It is much more anti-competition to see who's the best Catholic. It's the competition that's ugly. The central theme is acceptance. After all, she wins the award even when all is revealed. Kathleen Turner's character is too harsh and unlikeable. It's hard to watch sometimes. However, it was nice to watch her character grow.
    3maya-822

    Boring

    Kathleen Turner was great as a neurotic and psychopathic mom in Serial Mother. When I watched the trailer of The Perfect Mother, I laughed, and so I expected to find in it the same folly as in John Waters' comedy. Eileen Cleary is a mother and a devout catholic. She happens to be nominated against her best enemy for the award of the catholic woman of the year. If she wins, she will receive the greatest prize : the absolution of her sins. To be elected, she needs to be assiduous at church and in her charity works, but she also needs to have a perfect family. The trouble is, her husband is a former alcoholic, her son has just left his wife and kids for the manicurist next door, and her daughter is gay, and pregnant. The accumulation of clichés as obstacles can be funny in a comedy, but not here. The film – except for some good lines and Turner's acting – is pretty boring. I didn't laugh, I barely smiled. It takes ages to actually start, and when it does, it doesn't go very far. Eileen is in a quandary : she has to choose between her family and her faith. What will she do ? I mean come on, this is a comedy, we all know how it is going to end. The problem is not the end really. The problem is that the scenes that are supposed to illustrate Eileen's conflict with her family, and her own dilemma, are not funny, but they are not sad either, or deep. The film remains on the surface so as not to shock anyone. It remains politically correct, full of good intentions, so of course, it fails as a comedy, and it also fails as a drama. Don't waste your time watching more than the trailer.

    Read my other reviews on http://filmcritiks.wordpress.com/
    7scarletpumpernickel

    Taking a left at the next left..

    This movie fell prey to several misconceptions. First.., The Perfect Family was unfortunately categorized (somewhere) as a Comedy. That was a bit of a mistake..; and subsequently.. certain reviewers were disappointed and miffed.., having brought to the film certain expectations, which only got in the way. Once chagrined however, some of these hard-nose reviewers seemed to take pleasure in accusing the film of Catholic bashing. I am not Catholic myself; and I never noticed ANYWHERE that it was supposed to be funny. On the other hand, I do admit to holding a certain amount of anti-Catholic sentiment, and would likely have noticed any significant amount of bashing.., which I did NOT. Ergo, I simply watched the movie.. more-or-less tabula rasa.. and enjoyed it, while having my belief confirmed.. that a wife and children are inevitably more trouble than they're worth.

    What I noticed most.. was the irony -- that the hard-line generally taken by mom Cleary.. was reproduced by some of the more negative reviewers.., who seemed quite offended that the movie was not virtually a true-to-life documentary.., especially because of the liberal spin that was given to the alleged family values and Catholic doctrines depicted, while trying to present them nonetheless as if they were still conservative. And, admittedly.. this would be irksome.

    Next.., these kind of movie viewers might have a hard time with movies in general.. if they CAN'T accept that Art is NOT obliged to represent reality with total accuracy. So, rather than dissect the plot, or compliment Turner on her acting, or assess the various details of production.. since everyone else has already done so .., I want to remind everyone that when you watch a Hollywood movie, you will be getting a heavy dose of indoctrination or propaganda, mostly designed to further the globalist/liberal/satanistic agenda.., such as has gotten us where we are - here, awaiting our modern-day boxcars.. all, like sheep, wearing ineffective masks for a pandemic which is a total fiction anyway.

    The real, un-cinematic Truth here is that most religions will fail us.., since they are fashioned and dominated by corrupt individuals who seek power, money, and self importance. And, all modern Organized Religion is rife with corruption at the top.., while neared the bottom, you can find true, sincere, humble believers, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ.. and many Catholics, who try to serve their church, their family, and their community.. far better than a lot of fundamentalist Protestants I know. (I hereby proclaim next week to be.. Take A Catholic To Lunch Week.., though I would avoid Friday.)

    Forgive the aside.., but FOR the one person who might ever read this, and who is a born-again Catholic.., you have a truly great spokesman for Truth in the YouTube channel "Church Militant".. presenting episodes of "The Vortex", a Catholic news show.. which is doing a good job of truthing, while trying not to deeply offend those Catholics who misguidedly think "Mother Teresa" was one of the good guys.., or are oblivious to the pagan roots of Catholicism.. or the fact that the Pope's Audience Hall is deliberately shaped to resemble a snake's head, thereby revealing the Pope's true Luciferian allegiance. (Hear me now, and believe me later.)

    All in all.., The Perfect family was moderately enjoyable, with the possible exception of Emily Deschanel, who is the quintessential One Trick Pony. cheers!!😇
    8Lebowskidoo

    Church Lady

    Simple little story that you can predict a mile away, but still worth watching. More of a drama, although it seems like a comedy at first. Love Kathleen Turner, so it was great to see her back in a starring role. It doesn't rip apart Catholics either, so that's cool too.

    The opening scene with Kathleen Turner's voice praying in a church at first made me think I was watching a horror movie, her gravely voice is made for voicing people possessed by demons.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All entries contain spoilers
    • Goofs
      At 13 minutes, when Eileen tells her husband that she is nominated, she places two letters in a box on a table in the house. At the next shot, when she walks to the camera into the living room, you see in the background that the two letters lie differently in the box.
    • Quotes

      Eileen Cleary: I don't have to think! I'm Catholic!

    • Soundtracks
      Gravity
      Written by Simon Perry, and Dave Thomas Junior

      Performed by Dave Thomas Junior

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    FAQ19

    • How long is The Perfect Family?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 24, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Watch on Fearless
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • La familia perfecta
    • Filming locations
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    • Production companies
      • Certainty Films
      • Present Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $110,313
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $14,300
      • May 6, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $110,313
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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