Family Members (Los Miembros De La Familia) (Mateo Bendesky, 2019): Argentina

Reviewed by Shayne Casso-Cloonan. Viewed at the AFI Fest 2019.

When I’ve watched fictional films, I don’t often mull over how similar to real life the story is. The 2019 film Family Members caused exactly that feeling. Having judged by the description on the AFI Fest website, I imagined the film to have some great conflict that the two main characters must overcome, but it was far from that. The story itself didn’t entirely feel like a story. There was no structured plot line; the characters were not goal oriented, although it started to seem as if there would be a main conflict, the small issue dissolved quickly, and there was no sense of a resolution, mostly because it didn’t need one.

Writer and director, Mateo Bendesky, beautifully executed the everyday interactions that people have with others, whether that be our relatives by blood, or absolute strangers. The film follows two young siblings that, while working their way into adulthood, find themselves dealing with the aftermath of their mother’s death. They have reunited in order to sort things out, and it is immediately clear that they don’t get along considering a scene at the beginning of the film in which 17 year old Lucas, played by newcomer Tomás Wicz, spits a repulsive amount of toothpaste out on his older sister Gilda, played by Laila Maltz. As the film rolls on, there are gradually significant moments between the pair that create a sense of mutual love and empathy. As they comes to terms with their current situation, we are shown glimpses of their individual needs and desires, and the varying ways in which they address these aspects of their lives.

There are moments of comedic release that work perfectly with the surrounding notes of sadness. I found myself laughing out loud in the theater at times, when no one else would. I felt that maybe the rest of the audience was taking some of the content of the film too seriously, especially the portion regarding the sibling’s mother’s hand (you must watch it to know). Presented is a pleasantly slow transition back to the forward motion of healing and self-acceptance. My friend Manny told me in regards to the film, “how can you accelerate grief? You cannot.”

This is a must-watch film that is beautiful because of its simplicity. I would greatly recommend taking some time out of your busy lives to watch the film and really pay attention to the ways in which it exposes our everyday realities.