American family

The Cracks in the Foundation: Exploring the American Family on Screen

Okay, so we're talking about "the American family" as a cinematic theme. It sounds straightforward, right? But it’s so much more than just Norman Rockwell paintings and perfectly-staged Thanksgiving dinners. On film, the American family is often a pressure cooker – a place where dreams are both nurtured and crushed, where love and resentment tangle together in messy, complicated ways. And honestly, it's fascinating to watch how that portrayal has shifted over time.

Think about early depictions. You’d get those idealized versions, of course - the wholesome goodness radiating from Leave It To Beaver, all perfectly coordinated outfits and polite conversation. But even then, there were undercurrents. Look at films like The Little Foxes (1941), a deliciously cynical portrait of a family driven by greed and manipulation. That’s not exactly sunshine and rainbows!

Then you get to the 70s and 80s – a period where filmmakers really started poking holes in that idealized facade. John Cassavetes was doing incredible work, exploring fractured families with raw honesty. And then there's Paul Schrader, tackling similar themes with a darker edge. This is where films like Polyester (1981) fit so perfectly. It’s deliberately outrageous – the smell-o-vision alone! - but underneath all that campy absurdity lies a deeply sad story about a woman trapped in a cycle of dysfunction and manipulation. Francine Fishpaw isn't just dealing with an unfaithful husband; she's battling a suffocating mother and struggling to connect with her kids. It’s a brutal, hilarious, and ultimately heartbreaking look at what happens when the "American Dream" turns sour.

The evolution continues. More recently, films like Little Miss Sunshine (2006) embrace the quirky, imperfect family dynamic – celebrating connection even amidst chaos. And then you have something as starkly realistic as Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea (2016), which examines how trauma can shatter a family and leave lasting scars.

What's so compelling about this recurring theme? I think it's because the American family, in its various forms, is constantly being redefined. It reflects our societal anxieties, our aspirations, and our ever-evolving understanding of what it means to belong. It’s not always pretty, but it is always honest – or at least striving to be. And that honesty, even when delivered with a hefty dose of camp like in Polyester, is what makes these films so enduringly resonant.

What are your thoughts? Any family dramas you find particularly striking?