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The death of a family member brings with it a flood of memories and emotions. And in the Canadian drama The Rest of Us, the women and children left behind after a man’s death are forced to deal with their feelings for him—and for each other.
The Rest of Us tells the story of two mothers and two daughters, all connected by a complicated situation. When Cami (Heather Graham) learns that her ex-husband—and her daughter’s dad—has died suddenly, she finds herself in an awkward position: attending the funeral of the man she once loved in the home they once shared, hosted by the woman who took her place. And when the widow, Rachel (Jodi Balfour), discovers that her husband left her and their daughter penniless, she’s forced to swallow her pride and accept Cami’s help.
As the story plays out, the women’s awkward, messy situation gets even messier. Cami offers Rachel and her young daughter a place to stay—despite her own daughter’s very vocal objections. And the four of them are all forced to face their feelings—both for their late husband/father and for each other—while dealing with their tangled relationships.
This is definitely an unexpected role for Graham, who seems to have played the same flighty character for more than two decades. But she gives a surprisingly understated performance—and one of her best. Cami is much more complex than her usual character: a single mom who’s had to take care of herself and her daughter after they were both tossed aside for a younger woman and a fresh start. She’s had to deal with her own feelings of betrayal as well as her daughter’s. Yet she’s managed to make it work—to the point that she’s able to offer her help to the woman who broke up her marriage.
The film is generally quiet and honest, with layered characters and touches of light humor. Though a twist toward the end throws things somewhat off-balance, it all comes together in a sweet and often surprising story about mothers and daughters, about mistakes and forgiveness, about compassion and support, and about the strength and resilience of women.
With its difficult relationships and its challenging story, The Rest of Us guides audiences through so many emotions—yet it does so in a way that’s light and gentle and meaningful. It’s a memorable indie that’s worth seeking out.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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