Freud Leaving Home

A portrait of a ‘90s Jewish family, Freud Leaving Home explores the effects modern society has on traditional values and vice versa. Twenty-five-year-old virgin Freud (Gunilla Roor) can't seem to escape the safety net her parents' home provides. But when her perfectionist mother Rosha (Ghita Norby) becomes terminally ill, Freud searches desperately for a life of her own. Meanwhile, her sister, an Orthodox Jew, considers having an abortion, while her gay brother still fights for his mother's acceptance. Despite some of the fascinating conflicts involved, Freud Leaving Home often seems shrill and erratic, caught up too much in the family's arguing and then dramatically changing tone to reveal the characters' love for one another. Optional. (L. Russo)