Dysfunctional families dread rituals and Christmas or Hanakkuh is a ritual. In the dysfunctional clan, you gather, eat ritual foods and explode. That blast can be triggered by ritual infusions of alcohol, prescription drugs, long-simmering anger, and secrets.
In the film August Osage County, you get a cattle prod version of what family rituals can detonate in dysfunctional families. The ritual is a funeral and Meryl Streep plays the pill-popping mother from hell, Julia Roberts plays one of the angry family members who both hate and love this dying, drunken, 60’s, minted mother. The secret is prescription drugs.
In the film August Osage County, you get a cattle prod version of what family rituals can detonate in dysfunctional families.The ritual is a funeral and Meryl Streep plays the pill-popping mother from hell, Julia Roberts plays one of the angry family members who both hate and love this dying, drunken, 60’s, minted mother. The secret is prescription drugs.
Osage County is one of the nine picks for Best Dysfunctional Family Holiday film. I also favor Katy Holmes is Pieces of April, where she shows herself to be a highly talented actress. She plays a comic- the anguished role of a goth daughter& least favorite child trying to pull off the holiday for her suburban family and dying mother (award-winning actress Patricia Clarkson)in a drab New York walk up. This is actually a film with a surprisingly happy ending and is a cult film that will cheer up everyone nearly normal and dysfunctional families
In” A Merry Friggen Christmas, one of the final films Robin Williams did, this tells the story of Boyd Mitchler’s struggle of dealing with his eclectic family of misfits. When he realizes he left the presents at home, Boyd and his estranged dad (Williams) make the 8-hour drive together.
Have a Merry Christmas- share joy and watch movies
