Treading the line between humiliation and hilarity is a tough task, and can easily lead to disaster if handled improperly. A painful example of this is "The Savages," a film full of humiliating moments, and little else.
In the film, Wendy and Jon Savage are brother and sister, writers, and have commitment issues because their parents abandoned them when they were children. When their father Lenny (Philip Bosco) develops dementia, they must find a way to deal with their personal issues in addition to matters at hand.
Wendy Savage, played by Laura Linney, ("The Squid and the Whale") has dreams of being a playwright, but generally works at a temp agency. As an added bonus, she is a compulsive liar and is having an affair with a married man. Despite the fact that she is essentially the main character, she is never portrayed in a way that even vaguely resembles a likeable protagonist.
While the character of Wendy barely passes as a protagonist, the character of Jon Savage, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, ("Before the Devil Knows You're Dead") is woefully underdeveloped. His character does little more than spew pretentious dribble and act as a sounding board for Wendy's insecurities. All in all, the character is an enormous waste of Hoffman's substantial talent.
Perhaps due to the serious nature of the film, writer-director Tamara Jenkins ("The Slums of Beverly Hills") felt the need to add some humor into the mix.
Unfortunately it mostly comes in the form of jokes and sight gags at the ailing elder Savage's expense. While watching Lenny write the word "prick" in his feces might cause some audience members to chuckle, the joke quickly wears thin.
Despite an elaborate opening dance number, the cinematography as a whole contributes nothing to "The Savages" but boring shots of the New York countryside. To make matters worse, sections of the film feel unfocused and several scenes seem completely pointless.
What it really boils down to is that films in this vein rely on subtle humor and likeable characters to help audiences deal with the inherent drama in a given situation. "The Savages" fails to do either. Its characters are unlikable and the action is as depressing as it is boring. Anyone looking for something along the same lines should go see "Juno" insteead.
