Fathers and sons

Written and directed by: Rodrigo Garcia, Jared Rappaport, Rob Spera
Cast: Bradley Whitford, Gale Harold, Shad Hart, Samantha Mathis, Austen Nunn ...
Location: Los Angeles California
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Runtime: 101 minutes
Country: USA
Distributors: Showtime
Source: Tim Clodfelter
Thanks to: Angelfire

The focus of Fathers and Sons is, appropriately enough, on fathers and sons. The film consists of three separate - but intertwined - stories about the relationships between men and their sons. Each segment was written and directed by a different person - Rodrigo Garcia, Robert Spera and Jared Rappaport - and each provides a different perspective on the subject matter. First up is the story of Anthony (Bradley Whitford of The West Wing) and the ups and downs of fatherhood, as seen over a 30-year span during which the character goes from being a nervous (in fact, downright neurotic) dad-to-be to becoming a wise grandfather. Next comes the story of Gene (John Mahoney of Frasier), an emotionally repressed airline pilot who helps his gay son Tom (Ron Eldard) cope with a personal tragedy. Kathy Baker plays Gene's wife, who has learned to live with her husband's stoicism. Finally there's the story of Elliott (Gale Harold [ed.] of Queer as Folk), who comes home to his estranged family to try to reconnect with his dying father (Joseph Bologna) before it's too late. Barbara Barrie plays Elliott's feisty mother, and Lisa Edelstein (House) plays his sister. Suppressed emotions are a recurring theme in the film, never played more beautifully than by Mahoney in the film's middle third. Without saying a word, just standing by the sidelines looking awkward and uncertain, he conveys plenty about his character. The performances are strong overall, and each of the segments has a distinctive tone that keeps the stories from seeming repetitive.

The film was produced by the Showtime cable network but has been making the film festival circuit before its eventual TV broadcast.

The cast also features Jessalyn Gilsing, Teiko Aylesworth, Meredith Monroe, Philliph Rhys and Joanna Gleason.
Production by Julie Lynn's Mockingbird Pictures and the executive producer is Garcia.

Gallery: Fathers and sons (Click)