I recently recalled the Stuart Smalley affirmation, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, etc...", as a joke in a conversation with a coworker, and felt inspired to watch this film again. Note the fact that Stuart's "affirmation" has the distinction of being one of those rare TV/film buzzlines that become part of American pop vocabulary, and you already have an insight to the quality and staying power of Al Franken's humor, and of this movie as well.
I was delighted to find that indeed, "Stuart Saves His Family" was just as gut-bustingly funny as it was 10 years ago at its release. For those who care about such things, this is a film that got thumbs up and good reviews from Ebert and the late Siskel, and generally good reviews across the board. There were the token detractors. But the truth is, this is one of the better-reviewed films to come out of the SNL/Lorne Michaels franchise because it is one of the better films.
The underlying joke in the film (and the Stuart character itself) is a satire of 12-step programs and the recovery "culture"--and there is one--and the humor admittedly is probably funnier to those connected to that culture, or to human services professionals. But even those not familiar with self-help and recovery philosophies will appreciate the humor in the blatant satire of the clichés and affirmations and even the demeanor of those who practice these philosophies. Phrases like "shame spiral," "making amends," "rage-aholic," "owning my anger," and the like, when lampooned, are simply funny in and of themselves, especially when delivered deadpan by characters like Stuart. Because there are so many of these clichés, they remain fresh and humorous throughout the film. And viewers will certainly recognize and hopefully be able to laugh with the movie at the dysfunctional qualities of their own families and friends reflected there.
In a nutshell, the Stuart character is a guy involved in multiple recovery programs to correct the effects of coming from an alcoholic family. He has decided to share his wisdom through a public access cable show showcasing recovery philosophies, and as the film unfolds he faces a number of humorous crises related to his show. At the same time, his dysfunctional family undergoes a series of crises related to the death of an aunt. We are introduced to Stuart's alcoholic father, guilt-inducing mother, anxious overeating sister, and addict brother. The story that unfolds about the family's response to the crises, with their chaotic family interactions and childhood flashbacks both hilarious and touching, ends up being woven back into the drama around Stuart's cable show for a satisfying, if not all-too-realistic, resolution.
The film has been lauded for being a comedy with depth, because it is at heart a story about families and relationships--all dysfunctional, of course. There are some scenes that literally are tear-jerkers in the film, dealing with the affects of alcoholism and broken relationships, as well as the hope that recovery philosophies can bring. Indeed, one of the rewarding things about the film is that the recovery culture is both the butt of the joke, and at the same time is correctly represented as having a real, positive impact in peoples' lives. Though as in real life, we find that for the Smalley family, not everything can be fixed. And that gives this film, surprisingly, a ring of authenticity.
The other thing that struck me this time around was that the movie has a number of very talented actors in the supporting cast: Vincent D'Onofrio, Laura San Giacomo, Harris Yulin. Certainly this helped to carry the movie, but the screenplay is tight and the comedic timing of the dialog consistently right on. Whether you're looking for a good spoof of pop psychology and the recovery culture, dysfunctional families, or just a well-made comedy, this movie will satisfy.
I was delighted to find that indeed, "Stuart Saves His Family" was just as gut-bustingly funny as it was 10 years ago at its release. For those who care about such things, this is a film that got thumbs up and good reviews from Ebert and the late Siskel, and generally good reviews across the board. There were the token detractors. But the truth is, this is one of the better-reviewed films to come out of the SNL/Lorne Michaels franchise because it is one of the better films.
The underlying joke in the film (and the Stuart character itself) is a satire of 12-step programs and the recovery "culture"--and there is one--and the humor admittedly is probably funnier to those connected to that culture, or to human services professionals. But even those not familiar with self-help and recovery philosophies will appreciate the humor in the blatant satire of the clichés and affirmations and even the demeanor of those who practice these philosophies. Phrases like "shame spiral," "making amends," "rage-aholic," "owning my anger," and the like, when lampooned, are simply funny in and of themselves, especially when delivered deadpan by characters like Stuart. Because there are so many of these clichés, they remain fresh and humorous throughout the film. And viewers will certainly recognize and hopefully be able to laugh with the movie at the dysfunctional qualities of their own families and friends reflected there.
In a nutshell, the Stuart character is a guy involved in multiple recovery programs to correct the effects of coming from an alcoholic family. He has decided to share his wisdom through a public access cable show showcasing recovery philosophies, and as the film unfolds he faces a number of humorous crises related to his show. At the same time, his dysfunctional family undergoes a series of crises related to the death of an aunt. We are introduced to Stuart's alcoholic father, guilt-inducing mother, anxious overeating sister, and addict brother. The story that unfolds about the family's response to the crises, with their chaotic family interactions and childhood flashbacks both hilarious and touching, ends up being woven back into the drama around Stuart's cable show for a satisfying, if not all-too-realistic, resolution.
The film has been lauded for being a comedy with depth, because it is at heart a story about families and relationships--all dysfunctional, of course. There are some scenes that literally are tear-jerkers in the film, dealing with the affects of alcoholism and broken relationships, as well as the hope that recovery philosophies can bring. Indeed, one of the rewarding things about the film is that the recovery culture is both the butt of the joke, and at the same time is correctly represented as having a real, positive impact in peoples' lives. Though as in real life, we find that for the Smalley family, not everything can be fixed. And that gives this film, surprisingly, a ring of authenticity.
The other thing that struck me this time around was that the movie has a number of very talented actors in the supporting cast: Vincent D'Onofrio, Laura San Giacomo, Harris Yulin. Certainly this helped to carry the movie, but the screenplay is tight and the comedic timing of the dialog consistently right on. Whether you're looking for a good spoof of pop psychology and the recovery culture, dysfunctional families, or just a well-made comedy, this movie will satisfy.