Blackbird: Film Review

Cast: Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, Kate Winslet, Rainn Wilson, Mia Wasikowska, Lindsay Duncan

Director: Roger Michell

Bille August's Danish film Silent Heart is given a more contemporary rewrite in Notting Hill director Roger Michell's latest.

It's the story of ALS-ridden Lily (Sarandon) a matriarch who summons her separated family members to the their home for one last shindig before planning to commit suicide.

But as the generations gather, old rifts are opened between Kate Winslet's uptight Jennifer, and Wasikowska's rejected Anna...

Blackbird is not a film we've not seen a million times before.

Nothing brings up fireworks like reuniting awkward families, and many films have mined such conflict - from The Royal Tenenbaums to The Ice Storm, it's all been said and done - and it's very rare to add something new to the pantheon of what's passed.

So it is unfortunately with Blackbird, a film that rises with some performances of its impressive cast, but which can't pull itself from the mire of familiarity. 

And in a relatively short time, and with a packed ensemble to give moments to, the film doesn't exactly go for nuance, leaving the final feeling of a relatively emotionally cold and distant movie - which is an almost fatal flaw for a movie about such an emotive topic as euthanasia.

In truth, the more enticing film lies really more in the aftermath of the event, rather than the lead up to it - although there are moments of veracity in the film and warmth that shine through. It's here the kernel of the film lies, and the audience interest would have been maximised, rather than a build up that can be dramatically seen a mile off.

From Sarandon's final words on screen that will resonate with anyone who's had a partner suffering from a fatal disease to a venerable turn from Sam Neill and an unforgettable out-of-season Christmas party, there is plenty that shows Blackbird had the promise it needed.

But those moments are swallowed up by a series of out-of-nowhere character moments from the final third of the film that feel almost contrived and in some senses, somewhat inevitable. It's not that Michell overplays them, more the script feels a need to hit the required tropes of the genre and drama, leading to a crushing feeling of familiarity.

Ultimately, Blackbird is a dignified and earnest film, but it never quite hits the emotional level you'd be expecting. Fortunately, it's anchored by stellar turns from Sarandon and an understated Sam Neill.