A Review of ‘We’re Not Done Yet’: Familial relations more frustrating than fruitful here
A young man struggles to relate to his aging Mom’s seemingly wild behaviour.
‘We’re Not Done Yet’: Familial relations more frustrating than fruitful here
Cast: Barbara Sukowa, Danny Mastrogiorgio, Lauren Novelle, Joseph Longo, Doron JePaul
Critic’s Rating: 2 ½ Stars out of 5
Director: Sofia Camargo, Joseph Longo
Duration: 22 minutes
Genre: Drama, Short
Language: English, German (with subtitles in English)
Release: 2024
What’s it about?
A young man struggles to relate to his aging Mom’s seemingly wild behaviour.
Review:
Here’s an odd little drama about conflict and tension between a handful of people who ought to be amicable and relaxed in a vacation milieu. But fairly good acting and scenic cinematography can’t mask an all-too-obvious theme. That is, do we project the frustration and dissatisfaction in our lives on those closest to us – genetically and geographically? Intergenerational discord and mistrust of others is bound to occur in life. But is honesty about people’s respective predicaments enough to facilitate burying the hatchet and moving on?
Bettina (Barbara Sukowa), an elderly lady, is hosting her adult son Alex (Joseph Longo) at their beachside home for the weekend. But despite the natural splendour of their surroundings, the young man seems disinterested in embracing it. In fact, Alex appears to possess a stark unwillingness to partake of life in general. What’s more, he is cynical about his mother’s approach to making the most of her own life and berates her for the little things she does that he deems unbecoming of an aging woman. He even shows barely any enthusiasm on joining her on a healthy activity.
Meanwhile, we learn that Bettina is desperate to reclaim the exuberance of her youth. Her desire to relive being a mother to an infant leads to Alex making a startling discovery about her intentions. This longing to re-experience motherhood sparks a strange encounter with a young couple (Lauren Novelle and Doron JePaul) and their toddler who have moved in next door. Witnessing this, Alex is embarrassed and appalled, feeling coerced into offering an apology. But is his mother’s behaviour too pungent to allow for reconciliation? Alex grows increasingly suspicious and resentful of her behaviour and even disapproves of her association with a man her age (Danny Mastrogiorgio).
While the friction between mother and son is relatable, it seems all too predictable and one senses a showdown is in the offing. It is evident the duo are not on the same page and it’s obvious that the intervention of an outsider is crucial in helping balance this skewed equation. But while the crisis is moderately well set up, the journey towards a possible resolution, and the moments of truth along the way, could have been more revelatory and moving. Still, the conclusion, while not adequately satisfying, might tug gently at the viewer’s heart. Yet, more history and epiphanies are lacking to make for compelling drama.
The film’s writer and co-star (who also partnered others at producing and directing) - Joseph Longo - falls just short of crafting a movie about estranged souls and combative people who need a dose of peace. Yes, the interplay between the characters is intriguing but implausible at times and the hints at racism, ethnicity and status symbolism are fleeting and cursory when they could have been built upon. While Longo and Co. try hard within the limitations of the short film format, the payoff comes up... short.
