⭐⭐⭐⭐
Families are complicated. It’s a one constant in our lives which we can’t really choose and it’s something that we have to live with it for the rest of our lives. A great film portraying the beauty and at times the struggles of family relationships in Daniel Schechter’s film Safe Space starring Justin Long, Kate Berlant and Lynn Cohen.
New York city professor Josh Cohn (portrayed by Justin Long) divides his life in two parts – working at a college and sitting at his grandmothers bedside in the hospital. During one of his creative writing classes while reviewing one of his students work Josh goes into great details with analysing the situation described in the assignment, thus hopping to open the eyes of the future writers and encouraging for them to be open to different stories. This might have been Josh’s perfective on such an in depth critique, however later that day it comes to his attention that his students weren’t happy with this unique approach to teaching and it made them feel unsafe. One student complain turns into two, that turns into a few and a couple hours later the whole university is talking about it and it’s nothing good. Trying to be there for his grandmother like a good grandson he is, Josh shares the hospital bedside sitting duties with his sister Jackie (Kate Berlant) and brother David (Michael Godere), who are dealing with their own issues as well. Parents Diane (Fran Drescher) and Jeff (Richard Schiff) are still dealing with their post-divorce mess. When you put 5 people dealing with various problems of life it’s inevitable that sooner or later the bubble explodes.
You can’t help, but feel like you’re watching a real life families life unfolding in front of your very own eyes. Cast does a great join portraying the intricate reality many families face at some time in the lifetime. It’s really hard not to start wondering how would you approach the whole situation, thus again giving credit to the amazing cast dynamics and making all the interactions feels organic. Director Daniel Schechter has dedicated the film to all of his grandparents, which really explain the love grandmother Agatha Held (Lynn Cohen), now laying in the hospital, shares with the rest of the family. Even thought she doesn’t want to be a bother to her daughter and her family, she does genuinely enjoy the attention she gets and like a glue she keeps the family together during the toughest times and sheds some of her life long wisdom.
Safe Space invites for a after film conversation. The possibility to easily understand and relate to the cast makes the experience different, involuntarily leaving the viewer feeling like he is a part of all of this. Can’t help but enjoy the erratic, chaotic and messy family drama, as we all go through the at one time or another, yet despite it all it can be some of the greatest times.
The film Safe space is available on Digital Platform from today! Here’s the trailer!
