Sam & Kate is a new drama-comedy feature film from director Darren Le Gallo that stars Jake Hoffman (The Wolf of Wall Street), Schuyler Fisk (Castle Rock), Dustin Hoffman (The Graduate, Rain Man), Sissy Spacek (Carrie), and Henry Thomas (E.T. the Extraterrestrial, The Haunting of Hill House). The film follows father-and-son duo Sam and Bill (played by the Hoffmans), who live together and have a close relationship that often has them both stuck in their own ways, even as Sam takes care of Bill through a myriad of health issues. In an accidental meeting, the two come upon Kate (Fisk) and Tina (Spacek), a mother and daughter who are also sessile in their own lives. Through new friendships, the four find themselves learning new paths in their lives, and unlocking emotions that have been tucked away for years.
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The film premiered at the Austin Film Festival earlier this year, and releases on November 11th, 2022, in select theaters.
A “Family” Film
One of the shining areas of Sam & Kate comes from the incredible chemistry of its actors and performances. All the characters’ emotions feel real, which makes sense due to the fact that not only are Bill and Sam played by real-life father and son, Dustin and Jake Hoffman, but Kate and Tina, the love interests of Bill and Sam, are played by real-life mother and daughter, Sissy Spacek and Schuyler Fisk. The latter two have acted together before, as Fisk played the younger version of Spacek in Hulu’s Castle Rock.
The back-and-forth banter is real; the tears are genuine, and the hugs pull on the heartstrings, as the two duos are able to put their real love for their parents and children on screen. Fisk and Jake Hoffman are especially memorable, being handed the torches by two legendary actors, and keeping the audience focused on their story. Both actors have their own emotionally raw and incredible moments that are burned into the audience’s brains well after the film ends.
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The Old Guard Still Has It
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Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek may not be the popular names they once were in Hollywood, but Hoffman is a seven-time Academy Award nominee, and a two-time winner for Best Actor (Rain Man and Kramer vs. Kramer), while Spacek is a six-time nominee, and won for Best Actress (Coal Miner’s Daughter). Even well into their 70s and 80s, the two deliver powerhouse performances in Sam & Kate. Hoffman is still able to seamlessly weave between the dramatic and the comedic, making Bill both extremely lovable, while still capturing the frigid sadness of an aging man trying to find meaning after the death of his spouse. Spacek is still able to unlock the laid-back, yet instantly serious calm that she’s presented throughout her 50+ year career. Both actors play off of one another brilliantly, making the audience wish they’d seen the duo team-up in their acting primes. Regardless, Hoffman and Spacek are iconic, and they still continue to do phenomenal work.
From Grief Comes Forward Progress
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The story of Sam & Kate covers many different areas on the spectrum of sadness and grief. Bill, having previously lost his wife, is stuck in his ways, and reluctant to venture into anything new, while simultaneously belittling his son for doing the same. Sam is affected in a completely different way, as his sense of purposelessness and self-loathing have kept him from becoming who and what he truly wants to be. Kate is still recovering from a devastating loss in her life, and a reluctance to move forward, and Tina suffers from a mixture of disability and pride, not allowing herself to be helped by anyone. The four characters show that while bad things can and do happen, sometimes it takes the right connection with the right person to move forward out of a rut. It’s an important lesson to remember for everyone, and the film does a great job of reminding us of that.
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A Nice Comedy Balance
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Although the film is marketed as a comedy, it’s mostly an emotionally-driven drama. However, there are a lot of fantastic comedic moments that help offset the rough moments in the film, mostly at the hands of Dustin Hoffman’s character, Bill. Obviously, Bill has been through his share of traumatic experiences, but there are many times when his wittiness and humor shine through to carry the moment into the light, particularly in the back-and-forth chatter with his son. People often forget that Hoffman does extremely well in comedic films and that he shined in Hook, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Meet the Fockers, and as Master Shifu in the Kung Fu Panda franchise.
Henry Thomas also does a great job of bringing some humor to the film. Thomas portrays Sam’s best friend, Ron, who works with Sam, and encourages him to take the needed steps to fulfill himself. It’s nice to see Thomas in a more light-hearted role, especially after his run in several of Mike Flanagan’s horror shows, like Midnight Mass and the upcoming The Fall of the House of Usher.
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