TWO WEEKS
(R)
MOVIE: *1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
STARRING
Sally Field as ANITA BERGMAN
Ban Chaplin as KEITH BERGMAN
Thomas Cavanagh as BARRY BERGMAN
Julinanne Nicholson as EMILY BERGMAN
Glenn Howerton as METTHEW BERGMAN
Clea DuVall as KATRINA
Directed by: Steve Stockman
Studio: MGM
BY KEVIN CARR
I’ve never been a big fan of dysfunctional family dramas – unless there is something uniquely humorous about the dysfunction (like “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Family Stone”). “Two Weeks” offers a little too much dysfunction and not enough humor for my tastes.
The film tells the bittersweet story of a woman (Sally Field) dying of ovarian cancer. Her four children are brought together in her last weeks of life to say good-bye and put things in order. However, the kids haven’t gotten along perfectly in the past, and their mother’s tense last days put additional strains on their relationships.
Writer/director Steve Stockman made this film to help him deal with his own mother’s passing, and I have sympathy for him. However, I would hope my own family would have less to fight about and more to celebrate in my own death. This film is made for those who want to feel the emotional pain (e.g., guilt, regret, anger and envy) of a family drama, and that’s not really my cup of tea.
The performances are pretty solid all around, and Sally Field is supported well by her cast. However, the movie has been advertised and marketed as a comedy, which is grossly inaccurate. With the exception of two or three scenes that have forced humor, this is really a heavy drama.
The DVD comes with a director’s commentary, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes featurette and a digital guide for group discussion about the issues in the film.