Five years after Person to Person, director and screenwriter Dustin Guy Defa returns to the Berlinale with a new film. The tragic comedy The Adults celebrated its world premiere a few days ago in the Encounters section and is waiting for you three exciting stars starring: Michael Cera and Hannah Gross and Sophia Lillis. Especially the latter excited.
Lillis became known through the It film adaptations. She plays the young Beverly Marsh in the two-part horror epic based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name. Before appearing in the upcoming fantasy blockbuster Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, she proves in The Adults that she’s a fantastic actress that we will certainly see more of in the future.
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The Adults centers on Eric (Michael Cera) returning to his hometown to visit his sisters Rachel (Hannah Gross) and Maggie (Sophia Lillis). The three have not seen each other since their mother died five years ago. The first hug is accordingly from many unexplained feelings shaped. Eric has become estranged from the rest of his family.
The encounter with Rachel is extremely bumpy. Maggie, the youngest of the bunch, on the other hand, immediately switches back to her childhood mode. imaginary Rhymes, songs and characters unite the characters on a level that can only exist between siblings. Anyone standing around would raise their eyebrows skeptically if they heard the disguised voices.
Ultimately, more truth penetrates through the disguised voices than in serious dialogue. It’s the only way Eric, Rachel, and Maggie feel each other again meet on an equal footing can. A common basis of trust only exists in the memories associated with the siblings’ insiders – a natural feeling of togetherness that overcomes shame and prejudices.
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The Adults moves on a fascinating intersection between childhood and adulthood. Although it takes a while for Eric and Rachel to get back to the roleplay of the old days, they get hooked on Maggie. She could put on a whole play on the spur of the moment, that’s how much she has idiosyncratic characters internalized. Director and screenwriter Defa observes everything very closely, sometimes almost too closely.
The film feels like we’re flipping through someone else’s photo album and cringe at most of the images. Defa doesn’t shy away from any weird moment and plays through most of the scenes to the end. There is no redeeming cut that takes us out of the uncomfortable family dynamics saves. No matter how embarrassed we are, Maggie has the next foray into the hilarious already set up.
The fact that The Adults works so well is largely due to the cast’s sensitive acting. Cera, Gross and Lillis bring them disarming sincerity to the canvas that hides between the lines in the screenplay. Although Eric in particular is the first thing that stands out because of his ego and makes one embarrassing decision after another, there is something vulnerable in each of the characters that never makes them look ridiculous.
Rather, The Adults gains in tragedy and melancholy as the running time progresses. erics bizarre need for recognition is the best example. In a small group of poker players, he wants to prove that he’s the best. In the end, however, only gain from insignificance awaits him, for which he once again puts his family on the back burner. Defa resolves the defeat in amusing, but also thoughtful tones.
It is remarkable how the film vacillates between humorous and depressing passages, without performing this vacillation obtrusively. The Adults is simple, downright unobtrusive and casual. And has a great discovery in Lillis. Of course, her name has been known in Hollywood since the fight against King’s horror clown. But only with The Adults does she show what talent she really has.
*. .