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Saying goodbye to a loved one is always difficult and painful. There are so many things to say, but time is running out. And when two sisters are given one last weekend with their mother in Blackbird, their weekend is filled with laughter, memories, and a whole lot of unresolved hurts.
Blackbird gathers a family together to say goodbye. Susan Sarandon’s Lily is terminally ill, and she’s decided to end her own life. But before she takes her lethal dose, she wants to bring her family together one last time. Daughters Jennifer (Kate Winslet) and Anna (Mia Wasikowska) and their partners arrive for the weekend, but their last days of togetherness are weighed down by family tension. And as they reminisce and prepare one last big family dinner, the family members learn a lot about each other while trying to stay upbeat about the reason for their gathering.
Of course, along the way, the weekend is filled with the kind of messiness and family drama that you’d expect. Lily handles the whole thing with stubbornness and a sense of humor, fighting with her failing body to do things for herself while joking about her impending death. Jennifer and Anna, meanwhile, struggle to come to terms with Lily’s decision while trying to figure out how to handle the weekend—trying to act like it’s just another family gathering, all the while knowing that their time with their mother is running out. The situation brings a whole lot of emotions to the surface: their love for their mother but also their hurts, their frustrations, and even their suspicions. It soon goes beyond just their relationship with their mother, and they end up letting go of years of secrets and frustrations, spilling their feelings about their childhood, their struggles, and each other.
Admittedly, all of the bickering—on top of the constant reminders (no matter how lighthearted) of Lily’s decision to die—can be exhausting. Jennifer is harsh and blunt and sometimes almost cruel. Anna is quieter, more withdrawn—until she’s not. There’s a lot of drama and a few random plotlines, too—and, really, few things feel like they’re resolved in the end. Fortunately, though, the talented cast still manages to make it all generally watchable—and often moving, too.
Blackbird depicts family life through one difficult weekend: the love, the laughter, the frustrations, and the battles. It’s nothing new or remarkable, but if you enjoy family dramas, it could be worth a look.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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