The Rectangular View

Other People is a light drama about David Mulcahey (Jesse Plemons), a young man struggling with his floundering writing career and his mother’s diagnosis with cancer. He moves back home to Sacramento, CA from New York City to take care of his mother, Joanne (Molly Shannon). Although he and his longtime boyfriend, Paul (Zach Woods), have broken up, David doesn’t want to tell his family for fear up upsetting his mother. He also downplays his unsuccessful writing career for the same reason.

The film spans a year, and we see Joanne slowly deteriorate in that time. Joanne’s struggle with cancer is handled with grace, compassion and a somber sense of humor. The scenes between David and Joanne are touching and realistic.

David’s family is very religious, and although his mother and two sisters (Maude Apatow and Madison Beaty) have come to accept that he’s gay, his father, Norman, (Bradley Whitford), still can’t accept it.

While David is living with his family, he mainly interacts with Joanne and Gabe (John Early), a high school friend whose mother had passed away from cancer. Of all the people in the movie, David is most open with Gabe. They go to gay bars, talk about dating, and dealing with cancer. Gabe is also the only person who knows that David and Paul broke up.

Other People doesn’t want to bum you out, but it also wants to be honest. David and his family try to live life as normal as possible while Joanne’s health slowly deteriorates. We see them interacting with friends and relatives, making plans for Joanne’s eventual death, and visits to the hospital.

Not only is David dealing with his mother’s illness, he’s also ignoring the fact that his father can’t accept his being gay. When David takes the family to New York City, Paul agrees to have them over and pretend they’re still together. The entire family goes inside except for Norman. When Joanne asks for a glass of wine and doesn’t seem ready to leave, it’s mentioned that Norman is waiting outside. She doesn’t care and changes the subject.

The family dynamic and dysfunctions play out very well as the story unfolds. The trip to New York City is a pivotal moment that shows the relationship between David, Norman, and Joanne. It’s also a moment that David can’t ignore.

None of the characters in Other People are perfect, and David’s struggles with himself and his family are relatable. The overall tone and pacing are prefect. Other People is Chris Kelly’s directorial debut, and it shows promise.

Other People is a family drama that deals with loss and acceptance. You won’t need the tissues, but it will leave you feeling somber. It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s worth watching.