Dysfunctional Families
Perhaps because it's something nearly all of us can relate to (apart from The Bradys), messed-up families have always been a popular subject for filmmakers in all genres. Whether you're playing it for laughs ('Arrested Development', 'Go For Zucker'), drama ('Kramer vs Kramer', 'Nil By Mouth'), or thrills ('The Quiet Family', 'Olivier, Olivier') the family dynamic is a deep well of ready-made love/hate relationships, seething resentments and hidden secrets. What more could a filmmaker, or a film-watcher, ask for!
The Intruder ( aka L'Intrus ) (2004)
7.8/10
Director: Claire Denis
Starring: Michel Subor, Gregoire Colin, Florence Loiret-Caille, Bambou , Katia Golubeva
Based on the short story by philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy, acclaimed director Claire Denis' visual exploration into the world of second chances and aband... Read more
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
7.6/10
Director: Wayne Wang
Starring: Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen, Lisa Lu
Amy Tan's sensational bestseller receives first rate treatment from director Wayne Wang as he explores the turbulent lives of four uncompromising Chin... Read more
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
7.1/10
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Raffey Cassidy, Barry Keoghan
Cincinnati cardiologist Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell) lived an ordinary existence with his wife (Nicole Kidman) and kids...but on the quiet, he mainta... Read more
The Lion in Winter (1968)
8.1/10
Director: Anthony Harvey
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, Peter O'Toole, John Castle, Nigel Terry, Tim...
Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn tear strips off one another in this grand historical drama about 12th Century King Henry II choosing an heir to th... Read more
The Little Gangster ( Le Petit Criminel ) (1990)
7.1/10
Director: Jacques Doillon
Starring: Richard Anconina, Clotilde Courau, Gerald Thomassin, Jocelyne Perhirin
The 'petit criminel' of the title is an unhappy child to an alcoholic mother who sees a glimmer of hope in the news of a missing discovered older sist... Read more
The Myth of Fingerprints (1997)
6.1/10
Director: Bart Freundlich
Starring: Blythe Danner, Roy Scheider, Julianne Moore
An emotionally mixed-up family get together for Thanksgiving and spend the weekend demonstrating why they've never got on with each other. Roy Scheide... Read more
The Night of the White Pants (2006)
6/10
Director: Amy Talkington
Starring: Nick Stahl, Tom Wilkinson, Selma Blair, Frances Fisher
Max Hagan (Tom Wilkinson) has hit hard times. His soon-to-be ex has kicked him out of the house and he's completely penniless. An unlikely ally turn... Read more
The Piano Teacher (2001)
7.5/10
Director: Michael Haneke
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoit Magimel
"The Piano Teacher" is a powerful and controversial new drama from the award winning filmmaker Michael Haneke ("Funny Games"). Isabelle Huppert ("8 Wo... Read more
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
7.6/10
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Gene Hackman, Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben S...
Gene Hackman is Royal Tenenbaum, a once prominent New York lawyer who fakes a terminal illness in order to reunite with estranged wife Anjelica Huston... Read more
The Royle Family: Series 3 (2000)
8.1/10
Director: Caroline Aherne
Starring: Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson, Liz Smith, Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash, Ralf Litt...
Grab a cuppa and put your feet up with the UK's favourite telly-watching family. The Royle's make their final television appearance with six more epi... Read more