A Family Thing
Seen it?1996 | 109 min | Comedy, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (73% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office flop and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Right up the alley of spy-story fans and anyone looking to switch off and smile. Nobody is quite who they seem. A good follow-up to Billy Elliot.
- The mood
- Funny with heart.
- The pace
- Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 1 hr 49 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Skip it if you're after something serious tonight.
Earl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
73% on Rotten Tomatoes, 71 on Metacritic
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$10 million worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 37K people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by Richard Pearce
- Robert DuvallEarl Pilcher Jr.
- James Earl JonesRay Murdock
- Michael BeachVirgil
- Irma P. HallAunt T.
- Grace ZabriskieRuby
- Regina TaylorAnn
- David KeithSonny
- Xander BerkeleySunburned Man
- Jacqueline WilliamsWoman at Hospital
- Mary JacksonCarrie