Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Runs in the Family is about a father and his transgender son traveling across South Africa to rescue the son’s estranged mother. It’s filled with quirky characters and shady people.
Ace Bhatti plays Varun Chetty, a man who raised his transgender son, River (Gabe Gabriel), as a single parent. Varun is a tailor, and the film opens with him finishing a suit for Stan (Rob van Vuuren), the owner of a gambling establishment. Varun and Stan have a history that goes back 27 years, to the days before Varun met River’s mother, Monica (Diaan Lawrenson), and Varun was known for making fake documents.
Out of the blue, Varun gets a call from Monica asking for help. Monica’s ex-boyfriend put her in rehab, and she needs a family member to sign her out. Since Varun and Monica never married, he asks River to go with him. Still bitter that Monica abandoned them when he was a year old, River refuses to go with him.
Later, River talks to his best friend and drag partner, Ollie (Cleo Wesley), who convinces him to do it for his father, who would do anything for him. River agrees, telling Varun that he needs to be back in time to perform at a drag competition with a $50,000 cash price.
Varun and River pick up Monica, and it quickly becomes obvious that Monica may have other reasons for wanting out of rehab.
Some Thoughts:
The characters and situations in Runs in the Family are a bit left of center, but there’s a lot of heart and depth to the story. The script is strong, and the acting is well done, which is exactly what a movie like this needs. Also, nothing in the movie is overblown, which makes the film look and feel authentic.
Many of the secondary characters are enjoyable. Ms. Hloni (Faniswa Yisa), the receptionist at the rehab clinic, and Shaunice (Loren Loubser), the woman who picks Varun and River up when they’re hitchhiking, stand out. Despite both women being in the film for a short time, their scenes are memorable.
There are moments when the dialogue falls to gender norms and society, but it never becomes overbearing or preachy.
Both Varun and Monica are grifters, so they each have secrets and different end goals. Because of this, there are several scenes that play out differently when you know the actual motivation. That can only be achieved by good acting and finely conceived script. And yes, I’m suggesting re-watching it if you’re the type to do that sort of thing.
The Final Verdict:
Runs in the Family is a delightful film about family and acceptance. It’s delightfully quirky characters and shady dealings make for a fun romp. And if you’re the type to re-watch a film, Runs in the Family will feel like a different movie since you’ll know the characters’ real motivations.
