Scheider has, at the most, two dozen lines of dialogue, yet his silent presence is commanding. Blythe Danner is Lena, mother to the brood. Over just 90 minutes, the complex family dynamics are explored to their fullest. Every character interacts with almost every other character. Nobody commits suicide.
Nobody dies in a tragic accident.
Instead, each of the characters comes to terms with something about him or herself during their weekend together. Freundlich spent three years crafting and honing the script, and it shows. The family is as real as yours or mine, yet completely distinct.