Buy A Family Affair on DVD

A Family Affair (Helen Lesnick)

DVD
2-disc set

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Synopsis

The lesbian film of the year is a Woody Allen-style jagged-edge romance with plenty of laughs.

Review

What do you get when you propel a pale New York City Jewish dyke into sun-drenched waspish San Diego? Besides a culture clash, you get a witty, energetic romantic lesbian comedy and the dreaded "c" word – commitment! Rachel Rosen (writer/director Helen Lesnick) bolts from the East Coast after yet another breakup with her seductive girlfriend Reggie (Michele Greene). Surrounded by the love and affection of her gay friends, her sister-in-law Carol (Suzanne Westenhoefer) and her mom Leah (the very outlandish president of the San Diego chapter of PFLAG), Rachel embarks on finding "Ms. Rightowitz." After a disastrous series of hilarious blind dates, she reluctantly allows her mother to set her up with Christine (Erica Shaffer) and the two surprisingly hit it off.

In true lesbian fashion ("lesbians don't understand the concept of dating without living together"), the U-Haul is not far behind as the relationship blossoms rapidly from courtship to love to marriage. Rachel gets cold feet when Christine starts taking conversion classes and calling Leah "Mom," feeling familial pressures to settle down. The final straw is when Reggie enters the picture again fully intending to win Rachael back, but what's a girl to do? In the style of Woody Allen, A Family Affair cleverly uses Jewish schtick to delve into the complicated issues of commitment, acceptance, and religion.

Kelly Burkhardt

Product Format Information

DVD : $20.99 (2-disc set)

Availability: In stock and ready to ship
Close Caption: Yes
Region Code: None
UPC: 754703762078
Catalog #: DV1953151

Studio : Wolfe Releasing

Languages: English Dolby Digital Stereo (Primary)
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen
Features:
Intreviews, deleted scenes, theatrical trailer
Audio commentary: Commentary with director/writer/star Helen Lesnick

Customer Reviews

0 (No Stars) Maybe I'm crazy....

rebekah wrote on 09/19/2005:

I disliked this movie intensely, as did my wife. And not because it was offensive in any way, but because we found it poorly written, badly acted, and directed with an "Aren't I Clever" hand. We were very disappointed in it, and bored, bored, bored -- we barely made it through to the end.

I've seen so many lesbian movies, and so many of them suffer from what seems to be an editing void -- someone (anyone) to tell the writer/director (and sometimes actor) that a little rewriting might be in order. That not everything in the script is perfect. That if this were changed, it might not come across as formulaic. Or stupid.

I failed to see any comparison between this movie and a Woody Allen creation, other than the fact that the writer/director had chutzpah (to spare, apparently), is Jewish, and from NY. I just don't get it -- why is this movie lauded as one of the best lesbian movies to come along in decades? Other than the fact that there is a dearth of good lesbian movies.

Buy "The Incredibly True Story...," or "Lost and Delirious," or "Desert Hearts," or almost any European lesbian movie like "Tipping the Velvet," "French Twist," or even "Goldfish Memory" if you want something refreshing, intelligent, and engaging.

Lesbian Filmaking at its BEST

SarahH wrote on 11/26/2003:

A Family Affair is a very sexy and funny movie. The script does not insult your intelligence and the actors are talented.
The story is about a girl torn between her ex and her new love, only to learn as we all do such conflicts are more internally related than exteral. I loved this movie it is one of the best lesbian movies in years! Everyone I know fell in love with A Family Affair and you will too. (let alone some of those sexy actresses will keep your heart beating long after the film is over...sexy and talented A Family Affair is a Classic!)

BEST LESBIAN FILM IN LAST 10 YEARS A CLASSIC!!

LAGRRL wrote on 06/27/2003:

SAW THIS FILM IN THEATERS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, MOST WONDERFUL LESBIAN FILM I HAVE SEEN IN YEARS! REFRESHING, FUNNY AND VERY SEXY (ESP. THOSE GIRLS). IT IS NOT ABOUT STEREOTYPES OR ANGST RIDDEN LESBIANS, IT IS ABOUT THEMES EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO DONE WITH HUMOR, AND A LITTLE SEX :) (THE JEWISH STUFF IS BACKGROUND IT COULD BE ABOUT ANYONE OF US..JUST LIKE GREEK WEDDING FLICK)IT IS ABOUT A GIRL TORN BETWEEN HER EX AND HER NEW GIRLFRIEND AND ALL THAT GOES ON UNTIL WE FIND OUT WHO IS WALKING DOWN THAT AISLE, THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE EVERYONE I KNOW WHO SAW IT LOVED IT. GO OUT AND BUY THIS DVD IT IS A PERFECT DATE FILM AND ONE YOU'LL TAKE OUT TO SEE YEAR AFTER YEAR...SUPER!!!!