Next of Kin

No relation to the Patrick Swayze actioner of the same name, Canadian director Atom Egoyan's (Family Viewing, Speaking Parts) feature film debut is a bizarre comedy-drama which revolves around Egoyan's obsession with electronic media and the individual. Peter (Patrick Tierney), a bored 23-year-old living at home son goes to a therapist with his mom and dad. The therapist videotapes the session, and then encourages the family members to return and watch the tape. Posing as a doctor, Peter returns to the clinic, and watches a different tape, in which an Armenian mother and father are struggling to come to terms with their sullen daughter (and the fact that they gave their baby son Pedros up for adoption when they emigrated to Canada years ago). Peter decides to impersonate Pedros, and goes to visit the family. Egoyan, who creatively uses role-switching as the foundation for his incredible (yet believable) premises, manages to make some interesting philosophical comments on the family (unable to connect with his real parents, Peter is driven to heal the wounds which scar his adoptive family), while holding the audience's interest with his idiosyncratic approach to storytelling. A refreshingly different independent film, Next of Kin is highly recommended. (R. Pitman)