The SavagesMovie Reviews

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Must Go!
Avg. Critic Score: 85 out of 100 Universal acclaim Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
16 Iffy for 16+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    The Savages is terrific -- a movie of uncommon appreciation for the nature and nurture that go into making us who we are, a perfectly calibrated drama both compassionate and unsentimental. Read full review

  • 100
    Los Angeles Times | Carina Chocano

    A brutal encounter with mortality told with uncommon humanity, wit and humor. Read full review

  • 90
    Washington Post | Ann Hornaday

    Bringing a tough, astringent wit to a subject too often wrapped in the cozy blanket of sentimentality or cute humor, Tamara Jenkins takes a frank look at the indignities of aging in The Savages, a black comedy that invites viewers to laugh or at least smile ruefully at the dying of the light. Read full review

  • 90
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    It is more sad-funny than funny-funny, but Jenkins has enough empathy and wit to realize that even the sad parts are, somehow, funny. Read full review

  • 90
    The New York Times | Manohla Dargis

    Tamara Jenkins's The Savages, is a beautifully nuanced tragicomedy about two floundering souls. Read full review

  • 90
    Variety | Todd McCarthy

    Jenkins brings a rigor, intelligence and eye for the slightly absurd to the proceedings that is instantly disarming. Read full review

  • 88
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    With the help of acting giants, Jenkins turns The Savages into a twisted, bittersweet pleasure. Read full review

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Both Linney and Hoffman are so specific in creating these characters that we see them as people, not elements in a plot. Hoffman in particular shows how many disguises he has within his seemingly immutable presence; would you know it is the same actor here and in two other films this season, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" and "Charlie Wilson's War"? Read full review

  • 88
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    While the film is heart-wrenchingly sad, it also is mordantly funny, uncomfortably prickly and above all, unflinching in its depiction of a believable sibling relationship. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    The right mix of humor and horror and with not even a shred of sentimentality. Read full review

View more reviews for The Savages on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+ Affecting adult drama has mature themes, content.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this mature, darkly funny drama about an estranged family isn't kid friendly. There's cursing (including "f--k" and "s--t"), an adulterous affair, frank talk about sex and death, smoking, and prescription drug use (pills stolen from a dead person, no less). All of that said, older teens and adults may find much to admire in this thought-provoking story, which approaches a harsh subject -- the impending death of a neglectful parent -- with a gentle-but-honest touch.
  • Families can talk about why so many movies are about dysfunctional families. What's the appeal of watching characters with messed-up lives and relationships? Families can also discuss what it's like to care for ailing parents. Are the siblings' choices admirable or do they make lots of mistakes?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: A woman conducts a long-standing affair with a married man; a father rubs feces on a bathroom wall; adult siblings hesitate when faced with helping their estranged father -- who was emotionally abusive when they were children. Characters also lie and behave in other iffy ways (taking someone else's prescription medication, for example). But for the most part, everyone behaves as decently as they're able, especially Jon and Wendy, who take on the challenge of caring for their father despite the fact that he was no prince when they were growing up.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: No real violence, but some shouting among family members and some scenes depicting neglect of children.
  • sex false3 Sex: A married man sleeps with a woman who's not his wife a few times; they're shown on a bed ostensibly naked under covers, and the woman takes off her top and sits around with just her bra and pants on while talking. A few references to "hard-ons" and the genital area and other frank sex talk.
  • language false5 Language: Plenty of strong language, including "s--t," "f--k," "damn," and more.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Signage for the nursing homes, as well as snippets from an ad. Bertolt Brecht's name is bandied about, as are foundations like the Guggenheim.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Adults smoke cigarettes and take prescription pills owned by a deceased person (one of the lead characters filches them).
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

4.0

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

… an inherently unnerving humiliation-comedy … Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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The Savages Movie Ratings + Reviews

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