I'm sure there more dysfunctional families than the one depicted in "Fanny, Annie & Danny" but I wouldn't want to watch them on screen. The characters presented to us in this beautifully made film teeter on the edge of black comedy. But writer/director/cinematographer Chris Brown keeps his characters painfully rooted in reality. That reality is certainly odd enough, but it also manages to be believable. That it IS believable is a tribute to the entire cast, who fearlessly present these flawed people. There are several standout performances. Colette Keen is the grating, dominating Mother. She would would be a complete monster, if we didn't realize that her desire to control her family mirrors the ferocious hold she has on herself. Jill Pixley (wonderful), as the possibly autistic daughter, along with George Killingsworth, as the hopelessly ineffective Father, are the closest to traditionally sympathetic characters. But nothing is easy in this steadily building train wreck of a family dinner.
Like Chekhov (an appropriate model), the film makes use of an off screen gun shot. And it has the most effective use of source music/sound (there is no score) I've ever heard.
It's a rocky ride, but worth taking.
Like Chekhov (an appropriate model), the film makes use of an off screen gun shot. And it has the most effective use of source music/sound (there is no score) I've ever heard.
It's a rocky ride, but worth taking.