What They Had

What They Had-360P

What They Had-480P

source: What They Had

The performances from Swank, Shannon and Forster are phenomenal. Having grown up helping care for my Nan with the illness following the death of my grandad between 12 and 20 this film resonated grately with me and the effects it has on a family as a disease as well as the disease itself. I very rarely get emotional during films but couldn't help with this with many similarities to memories in real life particularly the scene at the wake. Whilst it doesn't show the most extreme final stages I don't think a film could have portrayed the effects of the illness of all involved in the family any better than this film does. It absolutely strikes the perfect balance whilst having enough drama to entertain. Not the happiest of watches but certainly a must watch in my eyes not just for the entertainment value which is certainly there but also educationally for those who don't realise the effects of the illness on the friends and family also.

Loved this powerful drama about life when someone you love has Alzheimer's. Great cast, beautifully directed. Great for all to see!

Having lived this life with my Mother, it hits close to home. My Mother was diagnosed with dementia back in 2008. This movie brings it all back. My Father was relatively healthy up till the end in 2010. My Mother on the other hand became lost in her own thoughts. Not knowing us kids and I would love to think she still recognized my Father. My Mother passed in November of 2010 and my Father in June of 2010. I remember my Dad saying that once my Mom went into the dementia/alzheimer care ward, he felt like it was as lonely as when he was in the Navy back during WWII. He never recovered and died broken hearted. This movie hits home. You can try to hold out. You can try to care for your loved one but, once the veil cover the mind, it's just sad beyond words. I talked more at my Mothers funeral than I could while she was alive. The disease just drains the individual and caretakers and devastates the loving people around them. Very sad movie. Having lived this it does strike a nerve and a lot more. I think the only take away is this, love the people around you and don't let go no matter how hard it gets.

Critical events can bring a family closer together or tear them apart for good. As brother and sister have to deal with an important question regarding parent's health, they struggle with their own private lives. In a moment of crisis, there's no where to hide. We have stay true to ourselves and either move on with a misery, or stand up and do the right thing. What They Had is about that one family we all know. Could be our own even. The biggest achievement of this story is its characters. The believable chemistry between the actors forms a great family dynamic and showcases some great acting by Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon and the others. A film that is genuine, dramatic yet not too tragic, made with taste and surely will please any festival film lovers out there.

There have been a number of movies in which a problem in the family forces the whole brood to get together, but I think that Elizabeth Chomko's "What They Had" still bears watching. It focuses on a Chicago family whose mom has Alzheimer's. When her memory loss becomes a danger to her, the daughter (who has power of attorney) has to return from LA to help with things. She brings along her irresponsible daughter, complicating things. The family's son also complicates things. Every character is damaged in some way. In fact, the mom is the least damaged, despite her amnesia. The dad, daughter, son and granddaughter all have their problems to sort out amid this gathering, and it's not going to be that easy. The cast puts their all into the roles (not that I expected otherwise). The mom (Blythe Danner) wasn't as developed as I had hoped for, but the daughter (Hilary Swank) is shown to be a complex character. Michael Shannon continues his string of heavy-duty roles as the son. As for the dad (Robert Forster), he's the type who makes everyone feel as if they're walking on eggshells. Very much the opposite of a role model. Meanwhile, Taissa Farmiga confirms herself as one of the great upcoming actresses in the role of the granddaughter. All in all, a good one. I recommend it.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, this movie will stay with you long after you leave the theatre.

What I had (ha-ha), was some time to kill before going to a screening of Wildlife yesterday so I decided to squeeze this film in before the showing. Saw the trailer for this and it looked pretty standard but I'm always game for films that depict mental health and the impact it has on others. The film also boasts a really wonderful cast and I had to think that the film would at the very least halfway decent. Its more than decent, I actually had a good time with this. It mixes a bevy of emotions but hits exactly the right notes when it needs to. The film is about two children who come together with their mom and dad around the holidays. Their mom is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and its tough for her to remember her own children and her husband. The family have a lot of issues to resolve as they clash heads on what to do with their mother and their unspoken issues with their hard headed father. The film stars Hilary Swank, Robert Forster, Taissa Farmiga, Blythe Danner, and of course Michael Shannon in one of my favorite performances he's ever done. The film is actually hilarious in many parts, especially through Michael Shannon. He plays a dead pan sarcastic brother/uncle and his comments made my day. There's just a good deal of humor involving the characters despite the film being emotionally heavy as it deals with a disease that impacts a family so greatly. As expected, the talented cast is perfect in this film. Forster and Swank in particular really showcase their talents. Even Blythe Danner playing the mom; she's always so happy and cheery despite the fact that she can hardly remember anything. I think I'm most impressed by Elizabeth Chomko's script. It balances everything well. The script is simple but has a lot of heart and dimension to it. This isn't a film that's going to get a lot of buzz as it came out very limited, but I think its a very enjoyable effort. If you're a lover of film and have some time to kill, go for it. Its not an essential watch but go see the character and family dynamics on display here. 7.5/10