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Jon sprained his neck while playing tennis with Wendy

Ultimately, The Savages is a film about decay—about how things fall apart, disintegrate, and age. And it is not just Lenny who suffers from decay. Plants, pets, houses, humans—it is all deteriorating. Jon and Wendy themselves are constantly facing the weight of change and time. A wrinkly world-weariness inculcates their bodies, hearts, and souls. Wendy begins the film with a cervical cancer scare, and is frequently seen jogging or exercising in fervent attempt to stem the aging process. Jon is overweight, suffers from high cholesterol, and sprains his neck playing tennis with Wendy. One of the warmest moments of bonding in the film comes when Wendy and Jon—in a neck brace—toast each other as they each gulp down a Percocet.

As the film goes on, Jon and Wendy try to act the part of dutiful children as their dad transitions to life in a nursing home. Wendy moves in to Jon's Buffalo house in order to be nearer to her father. The two of them visit Lenny often, and Wendy even spices up his antiseptic cell-like room with a lava lamp and puffy red pillow from Urban Outfitters. But Lenny never seems to know what is going on. There are no saccharine reconciliations or heartfelt exchanges of familial compassion. It's too late for that. Jon, Wendy, and Lenny are simply going through the motions that millions of families enact every day: the motions of trying to live right while preparing for death.

Lenny's body and mind aren't the only things decaying in this film

In some ways the film reminded me of Solomon's reflections in Ecclesiastes, about the cyclical seasons of life ("a time to be born and a time to die"), the meaninglessness of mortality ("naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and naked he departs"), and the aching reveries for the days of youth, before the trouble came. It's a film about death, certainly, but it doesn't dwell on it: it's more about how we live life in the face of such an inevitable and inglorious material end.

The Savages could easily have sunk into a pedantic, politicizing statement about euthanasia-type "life" issues. But that is never even on the radar of this film. And despite the generally morose subject matter, The Savages does a good job keeping things in perspective by pointing out the "what can you do?" absurdity of it all. We all face mortality, our broken-down bodies, our unseemly personal issues. And we can all laugh at it too. Sometimes we have to laugh.

Talk About It

1. How does the title, The Savages, fit into the three main characters in the film? Which of them is the most savage? Or are they all equally so?
2. Why are the personal issues of Jon and Wendy's childhood never directly addressed? Why would the filmmakers insinuate that Lenny was a horrible father?
3. What do you think the final shot of the film—of the handicapped dog running along with Wendy—is meant to express about the themes of the film?

The Family Corner

The Savages is rated R for some sexuality and language. It's a somber family drama that deals with some stark realities of life and death. It features frequent use of profanity, some scatological issues (poop on the walls, adult diapers, etc), and a few scenes of sexuality (Wendy in bed with her illicit lover), but in general it does not have a lot of egregious content. Nevertheless, it is not a film for children, but it is one that discerning adults and older teens might appreciate and relate to—especially as it sparks conversations about taking care of aging parents/grandparents.

Photos © Copyright Fox Searchlight

© Brett McCracken subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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