Plot
When an affluent matriarch gathers her dysfunctional family for a holiday at their Northern California lake house, her carefully constructed weekend begins to come apart at the seams, leading her to question her own role in the family.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 5.6/10 (51 voted)
Critic's Score: /100
Director: Tom Dolby
Stars: Patricia Clarkson, Zachary Booth, Joseph Cross
Storyline
When an affluent matriarch gathers her dysfunctional family for a holiday at their Northern California lake house, her carefully constructed weekend begins to come apart at the seams, leading her to question her own role in the family.
Cast: Patricia Clarkson -
Celia Green
Zachary Booth -
Theo Green
Joseph Cross -
Roger Green
Chris Mulkey -
Malcolm Green
Devon Graye -
Luke Caswell
Alexia Rasmussen -
Vanessa Sanford
Rutina Wesley -
Nora Finley-Perkins
Jayma Mays -
Blake Curtis
Judith Light -
Veronika Goss
Julio Oscar Mechoso -
Hector Castillo
Mary Kay Place -
Jeannie
Sheila Kelley -
Vivian
Hunter Burke -
Young Roger
Phoenix Burke -
Young Theo
Julie Carmen -
Maria Castillo
I saw this film at the KCET screening in Santa Monica and loved it. Too
few films explore the intimate lives of women at all, not to mention
women's lives after their children have flown the nest. The strong
performances, nuanced story and beautiful scenery make for a powerful
film.
Patricia Clarkson (Celia) is a mother on the brink, struggling with the
realization that her two sons are no longer children. Her sons have
become adults, and Celia's own transition begins. Patricia Clarkson
does a pitch perfect job in playing a character who can be abrasive,
unsympathetic (and quite funny), but by the end, a transformation takes
place, one that humanizes all involved.
As a woman who is NOT rich, my material life may be far from spending
summers at Lake Tahoe, but all the material wealth in the world can't
buy peace of mind for Celia. To focus on Celia's financial privilege
misses the point - the film explores more nuanced questions about what
we want out of our lives, and how to navigate changing times and
identities - something all mothers can relate to as their children grow
older.
What I most appreciate is how the movie explores life after children
without fear of being too critical or sentimental of either the mother
or the children concerned. Real life is not so sanitized, so cookie
cutter. The film uses humor to expose some of the darker sides, but
eventually finds emotional transformation and cathartic release.
Celia's two sons & their assorted friends and significant others, the
family's neighbors and other Lake Tahoe relations come together in a
beautifully-directed ensemble. Even the lake itself, steady and calm
while emotions rage around it - becomes a character whose texture
imprints on the whole. Judith Light appears for a few side-splitting
scenes, leaving a strong impression as Celia's next-door neighbor &
frienemy. To see these two veteran actresses in the height of their
talents is a rare delight.
How do we navigate through life's inevitable - and not always welcome -
transitions? Can we let go of the illusion of control? Can we find
peace - and even the ability to laugh at ourselves? Ultimately, Last
Weekend provides a moving answer to these questions
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