AS THEY MADE US
US, 2022, 100 minutes, Colour.
Dianna Agron, Simon Halberg, Dustin Hoffman, Candice Bergen, Charlie Webber, Justin Chu Carey, Julian Gant.
Directed by Mayim Bialik.
The title comes from the next generation, remembering their parents. This is a story of a Jewish family, written and directed by actress Mayim Bialik (many episodes of The Big Bang Theory). It would be interesting to ask her how much of the film and its screenplay is based on her own family experiences.
The central character is played by Dianna Agron, divorced with children, possibilities for a new relationship, annoyed that her former husband keeps turning up. However, she is also preoccupied with the help or dying father. He is played by Dustin Hoffman nearing his mid-80s (and playing an ailing father in his next film, Sam and Kate). Hoffman gives a bravura performance as a man who is physically ill, trying to cope, remembering his past, to see the son he has not met for 20 years.
His wife is played by Candice Bergen in a fierce and dominating role, intervening all the time, controlling situations, critical of her daughter, wanting the best for her dying husband but forcing him to do what she wants, including a frightening sequence where she forces his birthday cake into his mouth. Simon Halberg appears later in the film as the alienated son.
The film opens with a flashback to the parents bickering in a car, the effect on the children as they grow up, their dependence on each other, the father even being violent, the mother critical – and some indications for “as they made us”.
Audiences may identify with some or many of the characters and the situations.
For a comparison of life within an American Jewish family, the remake of the Israeli film, Shiva, this is Where You Leave Us, is a useful reference.
- The title, the focus on the children, the impact of the parents?
- A family story, a Jewish family story? The impact for a Jewish audience? Other audiences? The writer, Jewish, American, drawing on her own experiences?
- The focus of the present, Eugene and his health, diagnosis, dying, the response of Barbara, Abby and her responsibility, Nathan and his absence?
- The flashbacks to the past, the opening and the bickering and swearing in the car, the children in the back conversing, the orange shading of the flashbacks? Eugene and his violence towards Abby? The two children relying on each other, Abby not being fed, Nathan combing her hair? Sufficient flashbacks to explain the situation?
- Dustin Hoffman is Eugene, his character 73, the actor aged 83 at the time? The qualities of his screen presence, age, charm, as husband and his unhappy memories, supported ambitions in art, yet his devotion to Barbara and’s declarations? His sadness at Nathan’s absence? The devotion of Abby, always present, tending to him? His decline in health, her interference, the carers, Aaron and his devotion, Eugene and his falling, Abby help him up, in his chair, then to his bed, the birthday party on the fiasco with the cake, the issue of his smoking pot for many years, the quiet, the sadness and joy in his eyes, Nathan’s visit? The gradual decline and his death?
- Abby, age, marriage, failure, her sons, Peter and his presence in the house, not removing his goods, the divorce, a year passing? Custody of the children? Her devotion to her father, nagging phone call from her mother, always going to the house, constant in her care, touches, words, journey, the garden, the attraction, talking together, Barbara’s invitation to Jay for the birthday party, his bringing his two mothers and Eugene’s reaction in question? The fiasco of the cake? Contacting Nathan, presented his visit, the photos, showing them to her mother? Her absence for her father’s death? The sadness of the funeral, her mother gossiping and criticising?
- Barbara, Candice Bergen’s performance, a hard woman, focused on herself, her relationship with her husband, over the years, criticisms, controlling him? Not accepting his illness, interactions with Abby, continually phoning her comments and criticisms, what Abby did, what she wore…? The issue of the drugs, the carers sacked, Eugene smoking pot? Last birthday party, the cake, forcing it into Eugene’s mouth, everybody fleeing the scene? Her presence at Eugene’s confessing his love for her? The funeral, sad, yet criticisms of the family and friends?
- Nathan, his back story, the impact of his mother, staying away, his career, the arts, persuaded to visit, the impact, the photos? Thanking his father for his influence on his art? Present at the funeral but in the car?
- The six months later, the impact of the criminal, Abby and her grief, realising that she had been a doormat for everyone, writing the article, on the cover of the Jewish magazine, coping with grief? The invitation to the party, taking the children, Nathan introducing his family? Their walking together – the future?
