1995 * PG * 1h 33m How did I miss this absolute gem of a film. It was released 27 years ago and is the directorial debut for Diane Keaton. It was probably considered an indie, so Hollywood didn't give it the promotion it deserved. Anyway, what a marvelous film. It has a little bit of a Woody Allen feel to it--which you'd sort of expect. But it's not as crazy. And it has some great actors in it as well. Go figure?!?!
The story is about the Lidz family headed by Selma and Sid (Andie MacDowell and John Turturro). Sid is an inventor and he's constantly showcasing his nutty inventions to his family. Their life is a happy one until Selma gets sick. I'm not sure if they ever state what she's suffering from, but it's a respiratory disease and the outlook isn't great. Their young son Steven (Nathan Watt) has a hard time dealing with it and runs away to live with his two eccentric uncles Danny and Arthur (Michael Richards and Maury Chakin). Michael Richards played Kramer on Seinfeld and I've never seen him in a serious (yet slightly nutty) role before. He does an outstanding job here.
Selma and Sid reluctantly decide to let Steven live with his uncles for the time being, and this is where the fun begins. The two are hoarders and their apartment is filled to the rafters with piles of newspapers, and room after room of "valuable" objects they've spent their lives collecting. Some of their adventures are absolutely laugh-out-loud funny!
This is one of those films you wish never ended, it's such a joy to watch. It's about love, life, family, religion, and accepting yourself. You can take it on all sorts of levels and I think it's a film the whole family will get a kick out of watching.
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free with your library card on Hoopla.com and Prime Video.
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