Father Mother Sister Brother

Directed by Jim Jarmusch, Father Mother Sister Brother follows three separate pairs of siblings as they’re forced to confront their respective relationships with their parents. Filmmaker Jarmusch, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a predictably deliberate (and thoroughly off-kilter) endeavor that does, for the most part, fare impressively well, and it’s clear, certainly, that Jarmusch sets a high bar for himself with a compelling, funny opening story – with this first segment boasting an awfully slight yet entirely engaging feel that’s elevated by its terrific cast (Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, and Tom Waits). From there, Father Mother Sister Brother progresses into an effectively melancholy middle tale revolving around two estranged sisters’ (Cate Blanchett’s Timothea and Vicky Krieps’ Lilith) annual visit with their distant mother (Charlotte Rampling). The final digression, detailing twins’ (Indya Moore’s Skye and Luka Sabbat’s Billy) final visit to their dead folks’ Paris apartment, ensures that the picture concludes on an agreeably bittersweet note, which ultimately confirms Father Mother Sister Brother‘s place as a solid Jarmusch effort that probably should’ve topped out at around 90 minutes.

*** out of ****