Family Therapy (2024) by Sonja Prosenc: A Hilarious and Unsettling Look at a Modern Family

Short Summary: Perfect Facades and Uninvited Guests

Family Therapy is a dark comedy-drama that follows a wealthy Slovenian family whose seemingly perfect world is thrown into disarray by the sudden arrival of a young stranger. The film satirically dismantles the family's carefully constructed façade, revealing the deeply dysfunctional relationships, repressed anxieties, and existential dread lurking beneath their pristine, glass-walled existence.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28090401/

Link Review: https://icsfilm.org/reviews/sarajevo-2024-review-family-therapy-sonja-prosenc/

About movie: https://tribecafilm.com/films/family-therapy-2024

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/family-therapy (US), https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/family-therapy (UK)

Detailed Summary: Cracks in the Glass House

• The Ideal Family Unravels: The film introduces us to Aleksander and Olivia, and their daughter Agata, who live a life of isolated splendor in a luxurious, modernist house in the countryside. They project an image of perfect harmony, but their interactions are clipped and distant. This carefully maintained balance is shattered with the arrival of Julien, Aleksander's son from a previous relationship, a young stranger who is a complete misfit in their elite world.

• A Psychological Game: Julien's presence acts as a catalyst, triggering a cascade of bizarre and unsettling events. The family's attempts to maintain their composure and control fall apart. The film is a psychological cat-and-mouse game, with the family's actions becoming increasingly deranged as they grapple with their own flaws and long-suppressed emotions.

• Embracing the Madness: As the family's world crumbles, the film descends into a surreal and absurd state. The narrative doesn't offer a clean resolution, but instead leans into the madness, leaving the audience with an ambiguous ending that is as thought-provoking as it is disorienting.

Director's Vision: Deconstructing Society from the Roots

• Sonja Prosenc, known for her critically acclaimed arthouse dramas, brings her distinct cinematic language to this tragicomedy. She uses the family as a microcosm of society, aiming to depict the "gradual and methodical corruption of the perfect family balance."

• Prosenc's film is a satire of the modern, affluent, and emotionally detached elite. The glass house serves as a powerful metaphor, a literal "goldfish bowl" where the family's life is on display, yet they remain isolated. The director's vision is to challenge the very notion of a "perfect family" and to explore contemporary social issues through a darkly humorous and profoundly unsettling lens.

Themes: Dehumanization, Disconnection, and the Search for Identity

• The Illusion of Perfection: The central theme revolves around the facade of the perfect family. The film satirizes the lengths people will go to maintain an image, even when their internal world is in chaos. The characters are constantly suppressing their true selves and uncomfortable memories to fit into this idyllic, but ultimately empty, familial unit.

• Disconnection and Isolation: The family's isolated mansion and their general emotional detachment from one another highlight a profound sense of disconnection. They are physically close but emotionally distant, unable to truly connect with each other or with the outside world.

• Identity and the Outsider: Julien, the mysterious young stranger, represents the outsider who disrupts this fragile ecosystem. His presence forces each family member to confront their own identity, their desires, and the choices they've made, which have led to their current state of emotional and psychological decay.

Key Success Factors: A Unique Blend of Genres

• Genre-Bending Approach: The film's success lies in its unique blend of comedy, drama, and mystery. It starts as a lighthearted, zany comedy but gradually and subtly shifts into a more sinister and intense satire, keeping the audience engaged and off-balance.

• Strong Performances: The cast is fully committed to the film's peculiar tone and ambitious premise. Marko Mandić's portrayal of the delusional patriarch and Katarina Stegnar's as his seemingly stoic wife are particularly noted for their ability to bring depth to these deranged characters.

• Bold and Ambitious Storytelling: The movie doesn't shy away from ambiguity or unconventional narrative choices. It's a film that demands active engagement from its audience, providing a thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

Awards & Nominations: A Festival Darling

• Family Therapy has been an impressive performer on the festival circuit. It won the Vesna Award for best film at the 2024 Festival of Slovenian Film Portorož, where it took home a total of seven Vesna Awards. This includes awards for Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Katarina Stegnar), Best Actor (Marko Mandić), Best Supporting Actress (Mila Bezjak), Music, and Production Design. It was also an official selection at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the CICAE Award at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Critics Reception: A "Wickedly Funny and Genuinely Disorienting" Film

• International Cinephile Society: The review praised the film as a "bold and ambitious existential odyssey" and "one of the most unusual and daring satires of the past year." It highlighted the film's "pitch-black" tone and its ability to leave a profound impression despite its ambiguous ending.

• The Movie Waffler: This review noted the film's resemblance to the work of directors like Ruben Ostlund and Yorgos Lanthimos. It praised the committed performances and the film's clever visual metaphors, but also noted that the film might not be as amusing as its "Scandinavian and Greek Weird Wave cousins."

• Overall Summary: Critics have been highly receptive to Family Therapy, particularly for its unique and challenging approach. They commend the director's ability to blend genres and the cast's powerful performances. The film is often described as a "wickedly funny" and "unsettling" satire that subverts expectations and offers a compelling commentary on modern society.

Reviews: A Specimen to Behold

• High On Films: The review highlighted the film's emphasis on "splintered bonding" and the way it uses the stranger's arrival to reveal "the fractures, resentments, and repressed anxieties" within the family. It praised the film's "adroit mix of cool compositions and bold, stylized leaps."

• The Film Experience: This review called the film a "bizarre but deeply inviting portrait of a family still trying to figure out how it operates." It appreciated the subtle and entertaining subplots, the use of visual cues, and the film's willingness to "stick around in that discomfort."

• Overall Summary: Reviews consistently point to the film's originality and its success in creating an off-kilter world that is both funny and deeply disturbing. The film is celebrated for its thought-provoking themes and its ability to present a familiar setup in a completely new and unexpected way.

Why to recommend movie: A Provocative and Unforgettable Experience

• If you enjoy dark humor and satire, this movie is a must-watch. It's a clever and often hilarious critique of modern society and the pretense of perfection.

• For those who appreciate arthouse cinema, the film's unique cinematic language, bold directorial choices, and philosophical depth will be a rewarding experience.

• If you're looking for something different, this film defies easy categorization. It will challenge your expectations and leave you with plenty to think about long after you've watched it.

Movie Trend: The Unsettling Family Satire

• Family Therapy fits into the contemporary film trend of satirical films that focus on the dysfunction of wealthy, seemingly perfect families. This trend is a descendant of the "Greek Weird Wave" and a close cousin to films by directors like Ruben Östlund. These films use comedy and absurdity to reveal deeper, often dark, truths about class, privilege, and the human condition.

Social Trend: The Scrutiny of Modern Family Life

• The film taps into the social trend of re-examining and deconstructing the traditional idea of a "perfect family." In an age of social media and curated public personas, the film's exploration of facades and repressed emotions feels particularly relevant. It serves as a commentary on the pressure to maintain an image of success and happiness, and the psychological toll it can take.

Final Verdict: A Daring and Disorienting Gem

• Family Therapy is a daring and unforgettable film that uses a bizarre premise to deliver a powerful and unsettling social commentary. Sonja Prosenc has crafted a unique cinematic experience that is both wickedly funny and profoundly thought-provoking. It’s not a movie for everyone, but for those who enjoy challenging and unconventional storytelling, it is a brilliant and highly recommended watch.