Savages

Is about brother and sister Jon and Wendy Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney) are screwed-up and self-absorbed, but they certainly seem realistic. Sometimes they're shrill, sometimes they're scared, often they're incredibly thoughtless and have no qualms about lying to each other for all things.

But as they come together to deal with one of the trickier aspects of growing into middle age, caring for an elderly parent who can no longer care for himself, they make plenty of wrong things.

Tamara Jenkins is the director of the movie.It certainly helps a great deal that Jenkins has consistently nuanced performers in Hoffman and Linney to play the lead roles. When you think about the varied, complex choices both actors have made throughout their careers, it's a wonder they've never worked together before, and it's a joy to see them share the screen now. A

Mott Hupfel is cinematographer.

She can barely manage her own life, much less someone else's; nevertheless, she approaches the prospect of finding her father a home with thorough Type-A vigour.