family pack movie review

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

• Nashik Times
• Aurangabad Times
• Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

• Edit Profile
• Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

'Outlander' Season 7, Part 2 premiere date announced; new characters revealed for season 8

Designer Rick Roy to do a guest appearance in the show Dil Dosti Dilemma

'Loki Season 2' Fan theory on EPIC finale will leave you mind-blown; Tom Hiddleston starrer may be most important event in MCU since 'Avengers: Infinity War'

Takeshi's Castle Indian Reboot Trailer: Bhuvan Bam aka Titu Mama unleashes hilarious punches

Actress Go Ah Sung wows with her idol talents in upcoming Netflix series 'Doona!'

Neeraj Ghaywan's work is important, but this is my life: Dalit author Yashica Dutt on the OTT show that depicts her, without acknowledging it

Kaantaye Kaantaye

Naam Namak Nishan

Emily In Paris

Shekhar Home

Secret World of Sound w...

Life Hill Gayi

Gyaarah Gyaarah

Dus June Kii Raat

Batman: Caped Crusader

Matsya Kaand - An MX Original Series

Sabka Sai - An MX Original Series

Samantar 2 - An MX Original Series

Indori Ishq - An MX Original Series

Runaway Lugaai - An MX Original Series

Ramyug - An MX Original Series

Hello Mini 3 - An MX Original Series

Bisaat - An MX Original Series

Hey Prabhu 2 - An MX Original Series

Chakravyuh - An Inspector Virkar Crime Thriller - An MX Original Series

Filmfare OTT Awards

• Family Pack

Your Rating

Write a review (optional).

• Web Series /

Family Pack UA

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Family Pack Review : A comedy of many errors that holds its own eventually

Videos left arrow right arrow.

'Family Pack' Trailer: Likith Shetty and Amru...

Photos left arrow right arrow

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

karthikcs 908 days ago

super and thought full movie

User 911 days ago

Nice movie, family entertaining,and puneeth sir has given an opportunity to new talents.....overall movie is good ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shubha Thimmegowda 913 days ago

I liked the movie for the its comedy side of the story. Rangayanna Sir is the hero of the movie

User bbbb 913 days ago

Very good entrainment and comedy movie. Nowhere you will get bored.

Visual Stories

10 must-visit hippie destinations: India’s Bohemian heart

Entertainment

South Actresses Best Pictures of the week

Raksha Bandhan 2024: 10-minute desi snack ideas for Raksha Bandhan evening

​Types of brother-sister bonds: Which one do you relate to the most?

​Avneet Kaur demonstrates flawless hair every day​

Raashii Khanna flaunts her saree style

Prajakta Mali's Classic Saree Looks

​8 facts about the panda ant​

10 smart tips to increase academic performance in kids

​Preity Mukhundhan embodies timeless ethnic elegance​

Latest Reviews

Secret World of Sound with Dav...

‘House of the Dragon Season 3’: Release date, cast, and new developments - Here’s all you need to know

Ananya Panday starrer series 'Call Me Bae' trailer to be out on this date, check out new poster

‘Love Next Door’ teases Jung So Min’s awkward moment at Jung Hae In’s opening party in new episode stills

Jung Hae In and Jung So Min discuss his comedic debut in ‘Love Next Door’, with her rom-com expertise

Elizabeth Debicki says 'The Crown' "ended in the right place"

'The Boys' creator Eric Kripke shares update about season 5, says "There's no guarantee of who's gonna survive"

Faisal Malik reflects on the success of 'Panchayat'; shares insight into rural representation and character craftsmanship

Ayaan Agnihotri refers to Salim-Javed as ‘revolutionaries’, says "they unsettled industry and everybody was upset"

Zoya Akhtar shares how morning walks with Salim Khan gave birth to docuseries 'Angry Young Men'

Rasika Dugal: Kay Kay Menon’s poker-faced humour led to interesting moments both on and off screen during the shoot of Shekhar Home

Promoted Stories

‘Family Pack’ – First Look Image Unveiled for Netflix’s French Adaptation of ‘Werewolf’ Board Game

In the board game The Werewolves of Thiercelieux , inspired by Werewolf , paranoia and mistrust ensues as players seek to uncover the hidden identity of a werewolf in their midst. Netflix unveiled a first look image at Family Pack this morning, a French comedy that adapts the game for what looks to be a fun werewolf romp.

As if that’s not intriguing enough, the cast includes Léon: The Professional actor Jean Reno !

The logline for Family Pack : “After discovering a mysterious card game, a family is thrust back in time to a medieval village where they must fend off dangerous werewolves each night.”

François Uzan (“Lupin”) helms the family-friendly feature.

The first look image gives us a peek at the cast of players unwittingly thrust into the werewolf fray. That includes Franck Dubosc, Jean Reno, Suzanne Clément, Jonathan Lambert, and Gregory Fitoussi .

Netflix France also unveiled a teaser video that highlight’s the film’s board game origins and its original French title, Loups-Garous , below.

Uzan’s comedic, family-friendly adaptation isn’t the first time that the game Werewolf has inspired a genre film. Josh Ruben’s Werewolves Within adapted the VR game of the same name for a raucous lyncanthropic whodunnit in 2021. In 2022, Bodies Bodies Bodies delivered a delightfully mean spin on the “Werewolf” social deduction game. But Family Pack appears to be the first to embrace the medieval setting featured in most of the board game versions of Werewolf .

Family Pack was unveiled as part of Netflix’s “What’s Next” lineup this morning for their 2024 film slate.

No release date has been announced as of yet, so stay tuned.

Le village se réveille… LOUPS-GAROUS, le film évènement adapté du jeu best-seller Les Loups-Garous de Thiercelieux, en 2024. pic.twitter.com/CAKU6VSTcC — Netflix France (@NetflixFR) January 30, 2024

Horror journalist, RT Top Critic, and Critics Choice Association member. Co-Host of the Bloody Disgusting Podcast. Has appeared on PBS series' Monstrum, served on the SXSW Midnighter shorts jury, and moderated horror panels for WonderCon and SeriesFest.

You may like

‘The Shadow Strays’ – Bloody Official Poster for Timo Tjahjanto’s New Movie

Bath & Body Works and Netflix’s “Stranger Things” Unveil Second Half of Limited Collection

“Squid Game” Season 2 Teaser Trailer – The Games Begin December 26

‘Kong: Skull Island’ Writer Handling ‘Eternal Champions’ Film Adaptation for Skydance

Mortal Kombat will have some company in the film adaptation arena. Sega’s 1993 Sega Genesis brawler Eternal Champions has been picked up for an adaptation, courtesy of Skydance and Jurassic World and Kong: Skull Island writer Derek Connolly .

According to the Hollywood Reporter , the Eternal Champions project will have Ellison, alongside Dana Goldberg and Don Granger producing for Skydance. Meanwhile, Toru Nakahara , who has been head of the adaptation of Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, will produce on behalf of Sega. Rob Ree , who was able to bring Skydance and Sega together for the project, will server as executive producer, while Aimee Rivera will oversee the project for Skydance.

The Eternal Champions adaptation isn’t the only videogame-to-film project Connolly will be working on, as he’s also involved with Sony and Nintendo’s adaptation of The Legend of Zelda .

Released in 1993 as part of the fighting game craze, Sega’s Eternal Champions followed an omniscient being known as the Eternal Champion, who foresees that mankind will soon fade from existence due to the untimely deaths of key people throughout history. Seeking to restore balance to the world, the Eternal Champion gathers these nine individuals from across time just before their deaths, holding a fighting tournament between them. The victor of the tournament will regain their life, as well as changing their fate while bringing balance to the universe.

As was the case in the wake of Mortal Kombat , Eternal Champions featured bloody over-the-top finishing moves specific to each stage, known as “ Overkills “. The game was followed up by an update in 1995 for the Sega CD called Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side , which boasted additional characters, more Overkills, and other finishing moves.

‘Terrifier 3’ to World Premiere at Fantastic Fest on Opening Night!

Legendary Announces Trio of Upcoming Monsterverse Games

‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ Will Be a Theatrical (and IMAX) Release

‘The Front Room’ – New Trailer for A24 Horror Movie from the Eggers Brothers

Family Pack Movie

Night falls, the town is asleep, and everyone closes their eyes.

Who's Involved:

Jean Reno, Grégory Fitoussi, Jonathan Lambert, Franck Dubosc, Suzanne Clément, François Uzan, Bruno Gouery

Release Date:

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 Netflix

Add to Watch

Plot: What's the story about?

After discovering a mysterious card game, a family is thrust back in time to a medieval village where they must fend off dangerous werewolves each night.

Poll: Will you see Family Pack?

Who stars in Family Pack: Cast List

Franck Dubosc

Family Swap  

Suzanne Clément

Longing, The Origin of Evil  

My Penguin Friend, Lift  

Jonathan Lambert

Reality  

Grégory Fitoussi

The Pilot  

Bruno Gouery

Who's making Family Pack: Crew List

A look at the Family Pack behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

François Uzan

Screenwriters

Production Companies

Watch family pack trailers & videos.

Official Trailer

Production: what we know about family pack, filming timeline.

• 2024 - April : The film was set to Completed  status.

Family Pack Release Date: When is the film coming out?

Family Pack is coming out as a Netflix release in 2024 on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 .

Q&A Asked about Family Pack

Advertisement

Follow the Updates

• Thu., Jul. 4, 2024
• changed the US film release date from TBA 2024 to October 23, 2024
• set film release to Netflix
• added a photo to the photo gallery
• changed the US film release date from TBA to TBA 2024
• added a poster to the photo gallery
• added Bruno Gouery as actor to movie credits
• added Grégory Fitoussi as actor to movie credits
• added Jonathan Lambert as actor to movie credits
• added Jean Reno as actor to movie credits

Looking for more information on Family Pack?

Across the web.

• More Info on IMDb

Get the latest on upcoming movies before everyone else!

• Program Guide
• Sports News
• New & Trending NEW
• Streaming Services
• Newsletters
• OTTplay Awards
• OTT Replay 2023
• Changemakers

Home » Review » Family Pack movie review: Rangayana Raghu is the ‘soul’ of this fun family entertainer »

Family Pack movie review: Rangayana Raghu is the ‘soul’ of this fun family entertainer

Director S Arjun Kumar’s second venture, which has Likith Shetty in the lead, is the second PRK Production to come to Amazon Prime Video this month.

• Prathibha Joy

Last Updated: 11.29 PM, Feb 16, 2022

Story: Medical student Abhi (Likith Shetty) hails from a broken family, spending six months with his father (Achyuth Kumar), who is on to wife number 3 already, and the other six with his mother (Padmaja Rao). He’s also got a bossy cousin (Chandu B Gowda) who is out to make life miserable for him. Amid all this dreariness, the only ray of sunshine in Abhi’s life is Bhoomika (Amrutha Iyengar), a fellow student and budding social media star. Unfortunately for him, though, Bhoomika, who goes by Baby Boo on social media, remains happily unaware of him or his feelings for her.

Disheartened, Abhi decides that the best way out for him is to end his life and tries to jump off a terrace, only to be saved by a friendly ghost, Manjunath (Rangayana Raghu). Prior to his death, Manjanna (as Abhi calls him), was all set to get married to the love of his life, Sunitha/Badami, when he passes away following a freak car accident. Manjanna makes it his mission to get Abhi the girl of his dreams, but along the way, he realizes there’s more than meets the eye to his relationship with Abhi and Bhoomika.

Review: Family Pack is the fourth film from the PRK Productions stable to get a direct-to-OTT release on Amazon Prime Video, after Law, French Biriyani and One Cut Two Cut. And it is by far the best of the lot. The Arjun Kumar directorial is a comedy family entertainer and lives up to that tag from start to finish. There’s nothing extraordinary about this tale; it’s a simple story with just the right amount of twists and turns to make for interesting viewing.

Family Pack may be a Likith vehicle, but its true strength lies in its ensemble cast. Take, for instance, Achyuth’s character, who even after three marriages, still has a roving eye, or Sihi Kahi Chandru as Boo’s gun-toting ‘thatha’, each member of the cast complements the story beautifully and adds a dash of fun to it in his/her way. Likith presents Abhi as a perfect balance of brawn and brain and does justice to his role. Amrutha Iyengar is delightfully cute as Boo, but it is Rangayana Raghu who literally walks away with the film. He’s the friendly ghost, whose ‘life’ is turned around when he meets the people in Abhi’s life.

Writing anymore about the story would be disservice to the film. This the kind of film that you need to watch without expectations and then allow yourself to enjoy the fun ride every step of the way. My only pet peeve was why Arjun chose to have Abhi and Boo as medical students, when all they do is hang a lab coat and stethoscope around the shoulder. Was it only to justify the hospital scene involving Boo’s grandfather’s missing clothes?

Verdict: Watch it; Family Pack absolutely lives up to its promise of delivering two hours of fun. If you scratch below the surface, you may even find a message or two in the narrative.

WHERE TO WATCH

• New OTT Releases
• Web Stories
• Streaming services
• Latest News
• Movies Releases
• Cookie Policy
• Shows Releases
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Subscriber Agreement

Family Pack Movie Review: Packed with laughter and surprise

When Arjun Kumar made his directorial debut with Sankashta Kara Ganapathi, he made it clear that he was not in Sandalwood to conform to its norms. He clearly deviated from the commercial narrative or even romantic comedies in vogue and embarked on a fresh new take on how romance can surreptitiously blend in with a unique storyline laced with laughter. And with Family Pack, the audience was expecting something divergent, and in a way, Arjun does not disappoint.

It's a light-hearted drama on love and family bonding that revolves around Abhi (Likith Shetty), who grows up in an unpleasant atmosphere -- a nagging mother (Padmaja Rao) and a womanising father (Achyuth Kumar). Abhi gets into medical college, decides to stay away from his broken family, and starts staying single. He falls in love with his fellow student, Bhoomika (Amrutha Iyengar), a social media addict. Sadly, Likith fails to express his love, and under depression, decides to commit suicide. That is when the twist comes in the form of a ghost, Manjunath/Manjanna (Rangayana Raghu), and he eventually becomes the soul of the story. The ghost goes about helping Abhi at every step. What's the fate of this unique relationship is what this slice-of-life drama is about. It comes with subtle messages still managing to tickle your funny bones.

A ghost bringing peace and happiness to a family may seem far-fetched, but Arjun makes it relatable. His take on family and its emotions in a light-hearted manner with all the twists and turns makes the film watchable. It is interesting to see the connection between the ghost, the hero's past, and the present.

The director also manages to bring the right cast. Actors Rangayana Raghu and Achyuth Kumar are the best picks for the respective characters, who nail with their effortless act. Likith and Amrutha Iyengar have meaty roles, and they manage to highlight their performances, although the episodes between Likith and the ghost seem repetitive. Nagabhushan's character had the potential to get more screen space but has been limited to one or two scenes.

The music by Gurukiran holds the film. Yet another outing by PRK production, on Amazon Prime, Family Pack is a comfort watch with a message. 

Related Stories

Family Pack review: A comedy drama that defies logic

Follow Us :

Film: Family Pack

Kannada (Amazon Prime Video)

Cast: Likith Shetty, Amrutha Iyengar, Achyuth Kumar, Rangayana Raghu

Director: Arjun Kumar S

Rating: 3/5

Director Arjun Kumar S seems to have been inspired from the 2004 Bollywood film 'Gayab'. In his latest film 'Family Pack', he coats the comedy-drama genre with the supernatural. He makes a comment on the value of relationships, especially between parents and children.

In this process, however, he defies logic. The film is a disappointment for those looking for sensible humour and serious horror.

The movie deals with a medical student named Abhi (Likith Shetty) who has grown up without parents' love as they are divorced. If the father has a weakness for women the mother is somewhat loquacious.

He relocates to a haunted house as he can't handle them anymore. Ironically, his life gets a purpose when he decides to kill himself after his efforts to love a girl falls flat. He is saved by a ghost (Rangayana Raghu) and only Abhi can see him. The spirit helps him to overcome his confidence issues and that leads to various hilarious incidents.

'Family Pack' has shortcomings but the film's twist and turns are placed well. The eventful second half makes up for the snail-paced first half. The film could have worked towards being an endearing tale of human emotions.

The film feels incomplete in some places. Action scenes have been well choreographed but they don't enhance the plot. There is nothing extraordinary about the film's lone song and the background music by Gurukiran. The biggest relief is the absence of double entendres.

Rangayana Raghu shines as a ghost. Sihi Kahi Chandru's role is unconvincing. Likith Shetty, Amrutha Iyengar, and Achyuth Kumar do justice to their characters.

Follow us on :

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 82% Alien: Romulus Link to Alien: Romulus
• 100% Daughters Link to Daughters
• 78% Cuckoo Link to Cuckoo

New TV Tonight

• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• -- OceanXplorers: Season 1
• 89% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
• -- Classified: Season 1
• -- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
• -- The Anonymous: Season 1
• -- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 91% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 53% The Umbrella Academy: Season 4
• 96% Industry: Season 3
• 77% Lady in the Lake: Season 1
• -- Troppo: Season 2
• 58% Emily in Paris: Season 4
• 100% Supacell: Season 1
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 82% A Good Girl's Guide to Murder: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 91% Bad Monkey: Season 1 Link to Bad Monkey: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

300 Best Movies of All Time

Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Weekend Box Office: Alien: Romulus Dethrones Deadpool & Wolverine

James Wan’s Teacup : Premiere Date, Trailer, Cast & More

• Trending on RT
• Best Movies of 2024
• Renewed and Cancelled TV
• Popular TV Shows
• Re-Release Calendar

Family Pack (UHD)

Where to watch.

Watch Family Pack (UHD) with a subscription on Prime Video.

Cast & Crew

Arjun Kumar S

Amrutha Iyengar

Achyuth Kumar

Rangayana Raghu

Likith Shetty

• Let me explain
• Yen Endra Kelvi
• SUBSCRIBER ONLY
• Whats Your Ism?
• Pakka Politics
• NEWSLETTERS

Family Pack review: This meandering Kannada comedy is best avoided

Family Pack is being marketed as an “endearing tale of human emotions”. Forty-five minutes into the film, every human emotion within me has died, and I am left staring at the screen wondering listlessly when the film will draw to an end.

Directed by Arjun Kumar S, this supernatural comedy is about a young man named Abhi (Likith Shetty), who decides to end his life because of “love failure”. Now if you’re imagining something on the scale of Devdas , Romeo and Juliet , Heer Ranjha and so on, please lower your expectations. Abhi decides to take this drastic decision though he knows absolutely nothing about his crush, a woman who calls herself Baby Boo (Amrutha Iyengar), short for Bhoomika. Boo walks around the college campus shooting random videos with the wide grin of a preschooler. Her characterisation doesn’t go beyond that. Boo hoo.

Abhi’s other great tragedy is that his father (Achyuth Kumar) divorced his mother and has been married twice since. Though he’s in college, he has to shuttle between their two homes because they have joint custody (!!). The romance between the father and his new mother is also written with the same depth as Abhi’s romance with Boo; that is, Level Teaspoon. The director tries hard with the valiant background music to show you that something very, very, very funny is happening on screen but it’s about as hilarious as tickling yourself and waiting for the laughs.

Rangayana Raghu appears as a ghost who also has a love story of his own. There’s nothing otherworldly about this either. The men in Family Pack just fall for any woman who catches their eye. The female actors could have been replaced with mannequins and it would have made no difference. They wear nice clothes, makeup and simper around mouthing inanities.

There is, of course, a connection between the ghost and Abhi —  which you will discover if you manage to stay awake till that point. This plotline, however, does nothing to improve the film, it only makes it worse, with a distasteful comedy track on Abhi hitting on his girlfriend’s mother.

The screenplay has the finesse of a skit, jumping chaotically from scene to scene without adding anything meaningful to the story. The actors know that they’re in a silly film, so they do nothing to salvage the situation and go through the motions. The visual effects are funnier than anything else happening on screen. It’s fine to make a film that doesn’t take itself seriously, but that is not the same as creating a film where even the filmmaking isn’t taken seriously.

At under two hours, Family Pack feels like an endurance test that most are likely to fail unless they’re film critics with rhino hides who’ve been subjected to one too many bad films in their lifetime.

The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.

• Entertainment
• New Hindi Movies

Family Pack

Family Pack: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 17 February 2022
• Language Kannada
• Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Duration 1h 50min
• Cast Likith Shetty, Amrutha Iyengar, Rangayana Raghu, Achyuth Kumar, Padmaja Rao, Sihi Kahi Chandru, Sadhu Kokila, Dattanna, Tilak Shekar, Shivaram, Sharmitha Gowda, Chandu Gowda, Jahangir, Nagabhushan, Raghu Ramanakoppa, Sujay Shastri, Mahantesh Hiremath, Shruthi Ramesh, Santosh Shetty, Nischitha Shetty
• Director Arjun Kumar S.
• Writer Arjun Kumar S.
• Cinematography Shreesha Kuduvalli, Uday Leela
• Music Gurukiran, Viraj Kannadiga
• Producer Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar
• Production PRK Productions
• Certificate 13+

About Family Pack Movie (2022)

When Abhi (Likith Shetty), a college boy, decides to give up on life after facing many disappointments, he finds a wandering soul who wants to help him.

Family Pack Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Family Pack Movie Trailer

Family pack movie songs.

Family Pack Photos

More Movies With These Actors

Latest Bollywood Movies

You May Be Interested In

• Upcoming Bollywood Movies
• New Hollywood Movies
• Upcoming Hollywood Movies
• New Web Series
• Upcoming Web Series
• New Tamil Movies
• Upcoming Tamil Movies
• New Telugu Movies
• Upcoming Telugu Movies

Popular Stores

• iPhone 16 Leaks
• Apple Vision Pro
• Apple iPhone 15
• OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
• Xiaomi 14 Pro
• Oppo Find N3
• Tecno Spark Go (2023)
• Best Phones Under 25000
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Series
• Cryptocurrency
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Apple 'Scary Fast'
• Housefull 5
• GoPro Hero 12 Black Review
• Invincible Season 2
• HD Ready TV
• Laptop Under 50000
• Smartwatch Under 10000
• Latest Mobile Phones
• Compare Phones
• Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
• Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
• Google Pixel 9 Pro
• Google Pixel 9
• Realme C63 5G
• Realme 13 4G
• Infinix InBook Y3 Max
• Acer Chromebook Plus 15
• Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.7
• OnePlus Pad 2
• Google Pixel Watch 3
• Titan Celestor
• Vu Vibe QLED TV
• Infinix 32Y1 Plus Smart TV
• Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition
• Sony PlayStation 5 Slim
• Godrej 0.8 Ton 3 Star Inverter Split AC (EI 11NINV3R32 WYE)
• Blue Star 1 Ton 5 Star Inverter Split AC (IC512DNUR)
• Google, Harvard Achieve Unprecedented Mapping of Human Brain
• Pompeii Newly Uncovered Skeletons Reveal Agonising Final Moments
• James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries Challenge Theories About Asteroid Psyche’s Origin
• Extinct Walrus-like Mammal Discovered in Atlantics, Provides New Insights into Marine Evolution
• Harvard and Google Created the Most Detailed Map of Brain Using AI
• Clay Figurine Considered to Be 3,000 Years Old Found in Italy, Handprints of Maker Said to Be Visible
• Mpox New Strain Reported in Sweden, Marks the First Case Outside of Africa
• Asteroid That Triggered Dinosaur Extinction Was a Carbon-Rich C-Type Space Rock, Study Finds
• Apple's Decision to Grant Third-Party Apps Access to NFC Connectivity Could Benefit Crypto Industry
• Oppo F27 5G Price in India, Specifications Leaked; Could Feature Dimensity 6300 SoC, IP64-Rated Build
• Redmi Buds 6 Active With 14.2mm Dynamic Drivers, Half In-Ear Design Launched: Price, Specifications

• Privacy Policy
• Editorial Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Complaint Redressal

• Click on the Menu icon of the browser, it opens up a list of options.
• Click on the “Options ”, it opens up the settings page,
• Here click on the “Privacy & Security” options listed on the left hand side of the page.
• Scroll down the page to the “Permission” section .
• Here click on the “Settings” tab of the Notification option.
• A pop up will open with all listed sites, select the option “ALLOW“, for the respective site under the status head to allow the notification.
• Once the changes is done, click on the “Save Changes” option to save the changes.

• Top Listing
• Upcoming Movies

Family Pack

0 /5 Filmibeat

• Cast & Crew

Family Pack Story

Family pack cast & crew.

Family Pack Crew Info

Family Pack Trailer

Family Pack Videos

Family Pack News

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Family Pack

In this Family Pack film, Likith Shetty , Amrutha Iyengar played the primary leads.

The Family Pack was released in theaters on 17 Feb 2022.

The Family Pack was directed by Arjun Kumar S

Movies like Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi , Bheema , Martin and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

You can watch the Family Pack movie on ,.

On 17 Feb 2022 Family Pack was released on the , platform.

The movie Family Pack belonged to the Romance, genre.

Family Pack User Review

• Movie rating

Disclaimer: The materials, such as posters, backdrops, and profile pictures, are intended to represent the associated movies and TV shows under fair use guidelines for informational purposes only. We gather information from social media, specifically Twitter. We strive to use only official materials provided publicly by the copyright holders.

Celeb Birthdays

Movies In Spotlight

Video Title

• Don't Block
• Block for 8 hours
• Block for 12 hours
• Block for 24 hours
• Dont send alerts during 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am to 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am

Family Pack Stream and Watch Online

Watch 'family pack' online.

Want to watch ' Family Pack ' in the comfort of your own home? Tracking down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or watch the Arjun Kumar S-directed movie via subscription can be difficult, so we here at Moviefone want to do the heavy lifting. Read on for a listing of streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription options - along with the availability of 'Family Pack' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of how you can watch 'Family Pack' right now, here are some specifics about the PRK Productions comedy flick. Released , 'Family Pack' stars Likith Shetty , Amrutha Iyengar , Rangayana Raghu , Achyuth Kumar The movie has a runtime of about , and received a user score of (out of 100) on TMDb, which put together reviews from respected users. Want to know what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "Upcoming Kannada comedy entertainer starring Likith Shetty and Amrutha Iyengar in the lead" 'Family Pack' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and Amazon Prime Video .

Popular Comedy Movies

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

• Start a new list…
• Add all films to a list…
• Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

Family pack, que faisaient les femmes pendant que l'homme marchait sur la lune.

Directed by Chris Vander Stappen

A young woman tries to ease herself out of the closet without terrifying her parents in the process in this comedy-drama. The year is 1969, and Sacha (Marie Bunel) is a young Belgian woman living in Canada. Sacha's family sent her to Canada to attend medical school, but she hasn't had the heart to tell them that she's dropped out of college to devote herself to her new interest in photography. Sacha also hasn't told her parents that she's a lesbian -- and that she has a new girlfriend, Odile (Macha Grenon). Odile is tired of being kept a secret, and insists that Sacha tell her parents the truth before American astronauts land on the moon in a few months -- or else. Sacha flies home to Belgium for a visit, planning to come clean to her folks, but she discovers they've arranged a huge welcome home party for the entire neighborhood. With everyone so excited that the soon-to-be-doctor is paying them a visit, Sacha wonders when the time will be right to give her family the news.

Marie Bunel Hélène Vincent Tsilla Chelton Mimie Mathy Macha Grenon Christian Crahay Emmanuel Bilodeau Michel Israël Jacques Lavallée Marie-Lise Pilote Mario Saint-Amand Dan Sluijzer Jean-Luc Van Damme

Director Director

Chris Vander Stappen

Producers Producers

Jean-Luc Van Damme Françoise Vercheval Jean-Louis Porchet Claude Veillet Arlette Zylberberg Gérard Ruey François Charlent Catherine Burniaux

Writer Writer

Editor editor.

France Duez

Cinematography Cinematography

Michel Houssiau

Composers Composers

Frédéric Vercheval Ionel Petroï

Rendez-Vous Production RTBF Les Films Vision 4 CAB Productions Banana Films TSR Téléfilm Canada

Belgium Canada France Switzerland

Alternative Title

Wo waren wir Frauen als die Männer zu Mond flogen

Comedy Drama

Releases by Date

12 oct 2000, 04 jul 2001, releases by country.

• Premiere Chicago International Film Festival

98 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Laurie ★★★★

I don't know if my standards for old French movies are just very very low or if it genuinely was good but this movie is a gem in the same way that Pourquoi Pas Moi ? was. I watched it thinking it would be a questionable early 2000 gay comedy and ended up with a familial dramedy that had so much more depth and seriousness than I expected. There were even some good mise-en-scène ideas! Anyway, I'm never underestimating those kind of movies ever again.

Review by bedave ★★½

jamais une mère ne m’a mise autant mal à l’aise dans un film, et dieu sait que j’adore les films sur les mommy issues

Review by John Demetry ★

[Relevant sections bolded]

Long Live Curiousity, Part I 36th Chicago International Film Festival “I don’t worry about my career,” explained Come Undone star Jeremie Elkaim to an audience question about his risk in playing a gay character. Enabled by the unique situation a festival provides for artist-audience contact, Elkaim’s response speaks to all the artistic risks that one can discover at a film festival. These words mark the spirit of the best films at last week’s 36th Chicago International Film Festival. It is refreshing to find earnest artistic interest taking precedence over greed. Come Undone is a solid example of this. Elkaim plays an 18 year old who meets his first male lover while on vacation with his sister, depressed…

Select your preferred backdrop

Select your preferred poster.

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

• TV Listings
• Cast & Crew

Family Pack Reviews

• 1 hr 50 mins
• Drama, Fantasy, Comedy
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Upcoming Kannada comedy entertainer starring Likith Shetty and Amrutha Iyengar in the lead.

The Best Movie From Every Member of the Brat Pack

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Some of the best, most iconic movies of the '80s starred the Brat Pack—the name was a play on words of Rat Pack of the 1960s and was coined in a cover story by David Blum for New York in 1985. While there's no official list of actors included in the group, those most often associated with it include Emilio Estevez , Rob Lowe , Molly Ringwald , Demi Moore , Andrew McCarthy , Anthony Michael Hall , Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy . The recent documentary Brats , directed by McCarthy and streaming on Hulu, explored the careers of the actors, specifically the ways they were impacted by the "Brat Pack" label.

Now, decades later, the members of the Brat Pack have all moved on to other projects—some have had continued success behind the camera, others have starred in beloved TV shows, and just about all of them have starred in a number of different movies. But still, many of them remain remembered for their work in the '80s, with their Brat Pack films, or films they made shortly after the group's heyday, still hailed as their best.

8 Emilio Estevez

'st. elmo's fire' (1985).

Coming-of-age drama St. Elmo’s Fire follows a group of friends as they graduate from college and begin their lives as adults , each with a different background and goal for themselves as they enter the next chapter of life. Emilio Estevez plays Kirby. Estevez is part of a Hollywood family, as he is the son of Martin Sheen and the brother of Charlie Sheen . He is also known for his roles in The Outsiders and The Mighty Ducks .

St. Elmo’s Fire stars six of the members of the Brat Pack, more than any of their other films, and is hailed as a classic ‘80s movie —although it is sometimes criticized as having unlikable characters whose behavior is hard to accept and excuse, as they should know better. But Estevez’s character of Kirby, a waiter with the goal of becoming a lawyer, is one of the film’s best characters.

St. Elmo's Fire

Watch on Prime

7 Anthony Michael Hall

'sixteen candles' (1984).

With her sister’s wedding looming, newly 16-year-old Samantha’s (Ringwald) family forgets her birthday in Sixteen Candles , and on top of that, she’s crushing on a boy she’s sure doesn’t even know she exists. Anthony Michael Hall plays the geeky Farmer Ted, a boy who has a crush on Sam. Hall’s career in the ‘80s also included a stint on Saturday Night Live during the 1985–86 season, and he also starred in Weird Science and, more recently, Halloween Kills .

Some elements of Sixteen Candles haven’t aged well—there are issues of racism and assault, some of which involve Hall’s character of Farmer Ted. Still, Ted remains one of the movie’s highlights . Hall plays the character perfectly, with the perfect balance of awkwardness and confidence that defines the character. Despite its flaws, the film is still a great coming-of-age story, especially for teenagers feeling overlooked and forgotten, and it is among the most famous Brat Pack films.

Sixteen Candles

Not available

'The Outsiders' (1983)

Based on the classic novel of the same name, The Outsider s tells the story of two rival teen gangs —when violence accidentally results in a death, the perpetrators are forced to go on the run. Rob Lowe played Sodapop, the older brother of the main character Ponyboy ( C. Thomas Howell ). In addition to Lowe and Estevez, the movie also starred Tom Cruise and Matt Dillon . The film has also been adapted into a Broadway musical. Lowe also starred in St. Elmo’s Fire and has had TV roles, including The West Wing and Parks and Recreation . He is currently starring in 9-1-1: Lone Star .

The Outsiders is a faithful adaptation of the novel, and both are considered classics to this day, with a plot that centers around class differences in America. All members of the star-studded cast impressed, but Lowe in particular stood out as the charismatic Sodapop . It was his breakout role—making it all the more fun to watch—and he followed it up with St. Elmo’s Fire , solidifying his role in the Brat Pack.

The Outsiders

5 andrew mccarthy, 'pretty in pink' (1986).

In Pretty in Pink , middle-class outcast Andie (Ringwald) fell for Blane, one of the rich kids in her school, while her best friend, Ducky ( Jon Cryer ), pined for her. McCarthy starred as Blane, and P retty in Pink was just one of his Brat Pack films, as he also starred in St. Elmo’s Fire . In addition to directing Brats , McCarthy also wrote about his experiences at the time in the similarly titled Brat and has also found success as a travel writer and director.

Pretty in Pink is still regarded as an ‘80s classic, and it’s one of the best of the era, with a love story about class differences and other outside influences in a relationship. While many still have strong opinions about who Andie should’ve chosen in the end, McCarthy made it easy to see why she had feelings for Blane to begin with, as the sensitive character was caught between his friends and social status and the girl he loved.

Pretty in Pink (1986)

4 demi moore, 'ghost' (1990).

In Ghost , banker Sam ( Patrick Swayze ) and artist Molly, played by Demi Moore , are deeply in love and happy in their lives together—until one night, Sam is murdered by his business partner, Carl ( Tony Goldwyn ), over a sketchy business deal, and Sam’s spirit is trapped on earth. When he realizes a psychic ( Whoopi Goldberg ) can hear him, he torments her until she agrees to warn Molly that Carl is planning to kill her, too.

Ghost is a classic love story , with added elements of action, suspense and the supernatural . It was also well-received at the time—it won two Oscars at the 1991 Academy Awards, including for Best Original Screenplay and for Goldberg’s supporting role. While other members of the Brat Pack struggled to move past the label, Moore succeeded in doing so and went on to have a successful career in Hollywood, but Ghost is still remembered as one of her best movies .

3 Ally Sheedy

'wargames' (1983).

In WarGames , while in search of new video games to play, teenager David ( Matthew Broderick ) accidentally hacked into a military supercomputer programmed to predict and start a nuclear war with the Soviet Union and thought he was just playing a game, therefore possibly triggering World War III. Sheedy starred as David’s girlfriend, Jennifer, who tried to help David alert authorities before it was too late. Most recently, she appeared in the series Single Drunk Female .

WarGames is among Sheedy’s best-known films, in addition to her work with the Brat Pack. It was critically acclaimed when it was released and earned three Academy Award nominations—Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Cinematography. The movie also helped launch Sheedy’s career. While the technology featured in the movie is now outdated, the movie’s themes of nuclear war, network security, and the dangers of technology are still relevant today .

2 Judd Nelson

'the breakfast club' (1985).

The Breakfast Club follows a group of five high school students forced to spend a Saturday in detention, each for very different reasons and each representing a different stereotype. For rebellious, burnout “criminal” Bender, played by Judd Nelson , detention is a common occurrence. Nelson also starred in the Brat Pack film St. Elmo’s Fire and the '90s sitcom Suddenly Susan , and more recently, he had a role in the TV show Empire . He has also done voiceover work for the animated Transformers movies.

The Breakfast Club is still considered one of the best Brat Pack movies , and for good reason—it features a compelling story about cliques, friendship, and the ways people are more similar than different, all of which are still relevant today. Nelson’s performance as Bender is one of the best in the movie, as he demonstrates the character’s anger and mean streak, as well as his vulnerable side, taking the character beyond just a stereotype.

The Breakfast Club

1 molly ringwald.

Five very different high school students befriended each other over the course of a Saturday in detention in The Breakfast Club , during which they were tasked with writing an essay explaining who they thought they were. Ringwald played rich “princess” Claire. After moving to Paris and spending some time working in French films, Ringwald returned to America and has had roles in TV shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager .

Ringwald is perhaps the actor most often associated with the Brat Pack, thanks to her starring roles in movies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles , as well as her frequent work with John Hughes , who made some of the best and most famous Brat Pack films. Like Nelson—and their other characters— Ringwald’s performance helped show Claire as a well-rounded character , a crucial part of the movie’s themes.

NEXT: 10 Classic Movies Featuring the Brat Pack

• Cast & crew

The Curtis' family is selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA learns the family's behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothin... Read all The Curtis' family is selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA learns the family's behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothing - and no one - gets in her family's way. The Curtis' family is selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA learns the family's behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothing - and no one - gets in her family's way.

• Chris Weitz
• Keith Carradine
• David Dastmalchian
• Katherine Waterston

Top cast 28

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The title was originally written They Listen.
• Connections Referenced in OWV Updates: The Seventh OWV Awards - Last Update of 2022 (2022)
• How long will AfrAId be? Powered by Alexa
• August 30, 2024 (United States)
• United Kingdom
• United States
• They Listen
• Blumhouse Productions
• Depth of Field
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 3 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, caligula: the ultimate cut.

Now streaming on:

When “ Caligula " arrived in theaters in 1979, it came in on a tidal wave of hype, most of it on the negative side. The production of  Penthouse Magazine  publisher Bob Guccione ’s grand experiment in creating an adult film that included the elements innate to a typical Hollywood spectacle was filled with such strife that both screenwriter Gore Vidal and director Tinto Brass attempted to remove their names from the project. The big-name actors involved—including Malcolm McDowell , Peter O’Toole, John Gielgud , and rising star Helen Mirren —disavowed themselves from it when they discovered that, after firing Brass and taking over the editing for himself during post-production, Guccione went back to the still-standing sets with a skeleton crew and a group of Penthouse models to shoot some hardcore sex scenes. These were added into the mix without their knowledge and threatened the film with legal challenges worldwide.

The final film received universally horrible reviews —  Variety described it as a “moral holocaust,” and the progenitor of this very site dubbed it “sickening, utterly worthless, shameful trash. If it is not the worst film I have ever seen, that makes it all the more shameful.” Despite, or perhaps because of, such critiques, the film would go on to be a success, especially when it arrived on the then-emerging home video market. Over the years, it has developed a cult following, to be sure, but that's almost entirely due to a morbid fascination regarding its bizarre confluence of artistic ambitions and pornographic content. Although Guccione had discussed producing other films in the wake of “Caligula,” he never did—since one of these projects was rumored to have been about Catherine the Great, this is perhaps not that big of a loss.

And yet, what might have resulted if the film kept its initial conception? Is it possible that somewhere in the reported 96 hours of footage shot during its production lay a movie that was actually ... good? These are the questions raised by “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut,” one of the oddest reclamation projects in cinema history. Producer Thomas Negovan has gone through all that footage and reconstructed an entirely new version of the film — using alternate takes and cut scenes and removing all of the hardcore footage — that hews closer to what it was intended to be. This renovation is so elaborate that, although it now clocks in at just under three hours, it does not contain a single frame of footage seen in the original version.

The result is different from what came before and is, in many instances, a marked improvement. This time around, viewers can have a better appreciation for the often-stunning costumes and production design contributions from the legendary Danilo Donati (who had worked with the likes of Zeffirelli and Fellini and who would go on to do the sets and costumes for “ Flash Gordon ”) that were inexplicably given short shrift the first time around. By selecting more nuanced takes instead of the over-the-top ones used before, McDowell’s performance displays more of an actual arc, making his characterization far more interesting than the flat-out loon seen the first time around. He still has plenty of moments where he struts around like a cross between Alex from “ A Clockwork Orange ” and Mick Jagger , but he also has moments that allow a bit of humanity to shine through.

This also has the secondary effect of allowing the work of Teresa Ann Savoy , who plays Caligula’s doomed sister/lover Drusilla (replacing the originally cast Maria Schneider , who reportedly bailed after objecting to the sexual content), not to get steamrolled in their scenes together. Although she doesn’t quite capture Drusilla’s combination of tragedy and transgression, her work here comes closer to hitting the mark. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of this new edit is Mirren, who only appeared in the original cut for about 20 minutes but whose role is greatly expanded here and remains both the film’s best performance and the one asset that successfully embodies its artistic and prurient ambitions. (Her work also makes you wonder how much better the film might have been if she had been cast as Drusilla.)

Yet, while “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” is a marked improvement over the previous incarnation, it still has several fundamental problems so baked in that no revision can overcome them. One of the reasons that Vidal and Brass began feuding during the production is because they had an irreconcilable disagreement regarding the depiction of Caligula and his subsequent reign of depravity — Vidal saw him as a decent person driven to madness after having absolute power bestowed upon him. In contrast, Brass saw him as a madman long before he was given his position of ultimate authority. These differences were never resolved, and as a result, the film never quite seems sure of what it is trying to say about the man and the madness that he inspired during his short reign. While the narrative has a better flow this time around, there are still many instances in which it lurches around as though important scenes are either still missing or were never filmed in the first place.

While I cannot say that I genuinely miss any of the overtly pornographic material that Guccione clumsily inserted into the original version, that stuff was, for better or worse, a key part of what made the film so notorious in the first place and discarded it entirely feels like an awkward attempt at making it all seem more tasteful, even though the project as a whole remains steadfastly removed from most accepted notions of what constitutes good taste. That said, this is not to say that this version of “Caligula” has been neutered — this is a film that still opens with Caligula in bed with his sister, takes us on a tour of an elaborate multi-level sex dungeon, and eventually finds Caligula forcing the wives of the Roman senators to work as prostitutes on an enormous landlocked ship that has been turned into a brothel to replenish the state’s depleted coffers. The equally startling levels of violence are still on display as well, including a demonstration of an elaborate decapitation machine and the still-notorious scene in which Caligula barges in on the wedding night of one of his soldiers and proceeds to rape both the bride and groom. Put it this way: this is not the kind of movie where you want to load up at the snack counter before watching it, though it does make you wonder what kind of commemorative popcorn bucket it might inspire.

In the end, despite the extensive reworking, “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut” does not reveal the film as some kind of unjustly disparaged masterpiece deserving of revaluation along the lines of once-maligned works as “Heaven’s Gate” or “ Ishtar .” This is not a film for everyone by a long shot. Still, those willing to take a chance and embrace it on its own very distinct and occasionally deranged terms are likely to find themselves agreeing with the ultimate assessment of Mirren, who once described it as “an irresistible mix of art and genitals.”

Peter Sobczynski

A moderately insightful critic, full-on Swiftie and all-around  bon vivant , Peter Sobczynski, in addition to his work at this site, is also a contributor to The Spool and can be heard weekly discussing new Blu-Ray releases on the Movie Madness podcast on the Now Playing network.

Now playing

Hundreds of Beavers

Matt zoller seitz.

Family Portrait

Brian tallerico.

Borderlands

Sheila O'Malley

Doctor Jekyll

Clint worthington, film credits.

Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2024)

Rated NC-17

156 minutes

Malcolm McDowell as Caligula

Teresa Ann Savoy as Drusilla

Guido Mannari as Macro

John Gielgud as Nerva

Peter O'Toole as Tiberius

Giancarlo Badessi as Claudius

• Tinto Brass
• Masolino D'Amico

Latest blog posts

A Woman Without Peers: Gena Rowlands (1930-2024)

The Needle Drop Sessions: Pump Up the Volume & Untamed Heart

Locarno Film Festival 2024: Youth (Hard Times), Transamazonia, Moon

Thumbnails 8/15/24: Six Must-Reads You Don’t Want To Miss This Week

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

In ‘Good One,’ a family camping trip is full of emotional switchbacks

Justin Chang

Lily Collias brings a nearly wordless intensity as Sam in Good One. Smudge Films hide caption

Too often, the month of August is regarded as a fallow period for moviegoing, after the big blockbusters of the summer but before the awards contenders of the fall. But the aptly titled new movie Good One is a reminder that there are always smart, interesting films being released, if you’re willing to look beyond the obvious. As it turns out, looking beyond the obvious is something that the writer-director India Donaldson has a real knack for. In just 90 minutes, she tells a three-character story that appears simple enough on the surface, yet it’s so sharp and engrossing that you might not immediately notice the deeper story taking shape underneath.

Lily Collias plays 17-year-old Sam, who’s going backpacking in the Catskills with her father, Chris — that’s the terrific James Le Gros in a too-rare leading role. They’re supposed to be joined by Chris’ oldest friend, Matt, and his teenage son, Dylan. But Matt winds up being the only one to come along; he and Dylan’s mom are recently divorced, and Dylan isn’t taking it well.

Chris himself has been divorced for a while, and he and Sam have a pretty harmonious relationship by comparison. They seem to get along even when they’re bickering, as happens when Chris criticizes Sam’s driving.

Much of the movie consists of Sam listening quietly as Chris and Matt go on and on, reminiscing about old times yet always finding new things to grouse about. Chris, a savvy outdoorsman, can’t stop complaining about how badly Matt has overpacked for a three-day hiking trip.

These are the 19 movies we're most excited about this summer

While the two men rarely ask Sam how she’s doing or feeling, they seem cool enough where it counts. Chris has long been supportive of his daughter’s queer identity; she has a girlfriend whom she texts during the trip, whenever she can get a cellphone signal. Matt tells Sam that she’s wise beyond her years: Unlike all the other reckless, rebellious teenagers out there, she’s a rare “good one” in his book.

Scene by scene, however, writer-director Donaldson paints a subtler picture of the dynamics at work. At times Good One reminded me of Kelly Reichardt ’s quietly perceptive 2006 drama, Old Joy , which also squeezed a lot of emotional history into a fateful camping trip.

You get the sense that Sam has traveled a bunch with her dad and Matt before, and that she’s long adjusted to her designated role. When the three of them share a motel room on their way up to the Catskills, it’s Sam who instinctively rolls out her sleeping bag, without even being asked, leaving the two beds to the men. And once they reach their campsite, it’s Sam who cooks dinner for the three of them without complaint. The dynamics are complicated. Beneath the men’s easygoing manner, there’s an unmistakable air of condescension toward Sam, a sense that their appreciation of her is more conditional than genuine.

If Sam resents them for any of this, she doesn’t show it, at least not at first. Collias gives a beautifully understated performance; with very little effort, she can register everything from wry affection to barely concealed exasperation. And Donaldson, working with the cinematographer Wilson Cameron, proves as keenly observant as her protagonist. She’s alive to the beauty of the mountains, whether it’s the sight of a majestic canyon or the sound of rushing water. Some of the movie’s slow-simmering tension arises from your uncertainty about what might be lurking nearby, whether it’s a bear in search of food or three young men they cross paths with on the hiking trail.

But Good One isn’t one of those movies in which a journey into the wilderness spirals into horror. The dangers that Donaldson introduces are of a more intimate and perhaps more insidious nature. There comes a moment in the story when everything changes, and it’s at once surprising and unsurprising, all too believable and, in the moment, perhaps a little contrived.

But that hardly matters. What matters is how Sam responds to this sudden shift, and Collias shows her unpacking that response almost in real time, and with a nearly wordless intensity. Good One has the concision of a sharply etched short story, but what happens by the end can’t be easily summed up. Sam won’t soon forget the lessons of this particular trip, and neither will we.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Prepare Your Kids for School After a Summer of Screen Time

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

My penguin friend.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 1 Review
• Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Drama about unlikely birds of a feather has grief, peril.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that My Penguin Friend is a sweet drama based on the true story of a South American penguin who befriends a lonely, grieving Brazilian man (Spanish actor Jean Reno). There's very little iffy content overall, though (spoiler alert) a child's tragic death in a boating accident early in the…

Why Age 8+?

(Potential spoiler alert!) There's a boating accident early in the movie in whic

Any Positive Content?

Animals of all sorts can provide therapeutic connection and companionship for hu

Joao acts out of compassion when he sees an injured bird in the ocean, rescuing

South American penguins' migration, nesting, instinctual navigation abilities, a

This fact-based story set in Brazil and Argentina has a Brazilian director, as w

Violence & Scariness

(Potential spoiler alert !) There's a boating accident early in the movie in which a father frantically tries to find his son (whom many viewers may have come to adore) -- the boy's death is shown via the outline of his lifeless body quietly sinking into the ocean. Penguin DinDim is perilously injured to the point of being unconscious on more than one occasion, one time with blood-stained scrapes. Close-ups of dead fish being gutted. Sadness/grief and some tension.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Animals of all sorts can provide therapeutic connection and companionship for humans that can be healing. Strong themes of compassion and curiosity.

Positive Role Models

Joao acts out of compassion when he sees an injured bird in the ocean, rescuing it and nursing it back to health. While his wife is irritated by the disruptive bird, she allows it in her home as an act of love for her husband. While tragedy has made Joao estranged from the fishing community he was once a vibrant part of, they make it clear that they're always there for him -- and when he asks for their help, they immediately give it. Marine life researchers have jobs that kids may see as aspirational but make a selfish decision at one point that puts DinDim in danger.

Educational Value

South American penguins' migration, nesting, instinctual navigation abilities, and mating habits are discussed and observed. DinDim's story reveals the penguin's ability to adapt to different surroundings. It's explained that a penguin creating and maintaining a connection with a human is so rare that university researchers want to study DinDim.

Diverse Representations

This fact-based story set in Brazil and Argentina has a Brazilian director, as well as many Argentinian and Brazilian characters played by Argentinian and Brazilian actors -- though the two leads are of Spanish and Mexican descent. Both writers are female. Main characters are in their 70s.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that My Penguin Friend is a sweet drama based on the true story of a South American penguin who befriends a lonely, grieving Brazilian man (Spanish actor Jean Reno ). There's very little iffy content overall, though ( spoiler alert ) a child's tragic death in a boating accident early in the film may be upsetting for some viewers, and there are scenes of peril involving penguin DinDim, who gets lost, injured, and knocked unconscious but always ends up OK. The story has strong themes of compassion and curiosity, and kids will likely be birdstruck by the idea of having an adorable waddler as a companion. Kids may also learn that penguins don't just live in Arctic climates and that they migrate to the same summer and winter nests ever year. And what's a revelation to everyone -- including the marine biologists tracking the penguin's habits in the movie -- is that a penguin would bond with a human with such commitment. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

Drama, not a light hearted film

What's the story.

In MY PENGUIN FRIEND, Brazilian fisherman João ( Jean Reno ) is unable to move forward decades after ( spoiler alert ) the tragic death of his son. When he spots an injured penguin in the ocean, he rescues it and nurses it back to health, then releases it back into the wild. He's surprised when the penguin -- whom he's dubbed DinDim -- returns to him year after year.

Is It Any Good?

Wild-animal-companion dreams are given wings in this touching true story of the unusual friendship between a man and a penguin. While it's slower and has fewer wacky antics than movies like Mr. Popper's Penguins or Penguins of Madagascar , My Penguin Friend still scoots along faster than March of the Penguins . But -- like the Magellanic penguins themselves -- it also never fully takes flight. It keeps the story grounded in reality, but at times that makes it feel a bit like sitting at the zoo in front of an enclosure that contains a sleeping animal. It's something to see, but it's not as exciting as you might have hoped.

Kids really enjoy films where they see other kids interacting with animals (think Dolphin Tale ), and João's 7-year-old family friend Lucia (Duda Galvão) takes that role here, but she doesn't have enough screen time to be a true kid stand-in. To compensate, director David Schurmann uses a different device: He offers viewers a bird's-eye point-of view, showing us what DinDim sees. This helps convey DinDim's feelings, like bewilderment and contentment, which lets kids think less about what it's like to have a penguin for a pet and more about what it's like to be a penguin. Viewers are reminded frequently that DinDim comes and goes as he pleases, underlining the movie's position that wild animals shouldn't be kept in captivity for any reason, including for research. Kids who strongly prefer animated movies might be restless, but even if they're a little bored at times, this sweet drama is ultimately an imagination starter.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how animals can provide therapy and healing to humans. How does DinDim help João accept the loss of his son and move on in My Penguin Friend ?

What did you learn about penguins from My Penguin Friend? Did you feel you gained insight by seeing the world through DinDim's eyes?

How are compassion and curiosity demonstrated, and by which characters? Why are these important character strengths? Would you say Adriana has integrity ?

What do you think about marine biologist Adriana's decision to take DinDim to the university? Did you think her decision to let DinDim escape and adapt to his displaced surroundings was responsible? What would you have done in both situations?

What movies about the human-animal relationship are your favorites? How does this one compare?

Movie Details

• In theaters : August 16, 2024
• Cast : Jean Reno , Adriana Barraza , Rochi Hernández
• Director : David Schurmann
• Inclusion Information : South American directors, Female actors, Latino actors, Female writers
• Studio : Roadside Attractions
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Friendship , Ocean Creatures , Science and Nature , Wild Animals
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Curiosity
• Run time : 97 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : thematic content
• Last updated : August 13, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story

My Octopus Teacher

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Penguin Bloom

March of the Penguins

Surf's Up

Best Animal Movies for Kids

Movies that inspire compassion, related topics.

• Ocean Creatures
• Science and Nature
• Wild Animals

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.