The Talent Given Us

Given the difficulty independent films face in attracting attention, it's not surprising that some resort to gimmicks. In the case of The Talent Given Us, filmmaker Andrew Wagner—who wrote, produced, directed, and shot this modest effort (and also appears briefly)—casts his own family members (using their real names) in the lead roles, with the effect that viewers can't help but wonder how much of the film is autobiographical. The plot is simple enough: Judy and Allen, together with their two grown daughters, impulsively decide to drive from New York to Los Angeles to visit their son Andrew (the filmmaker), whom they've not seen in years. Much of the action occurs on the long road trip, during which the group picks up a couple of acquaintances and rehashes the family's tortured past, most notably an act of infidelity that's tainted the parents' marriage ever since. The Talent Given Us certainly doesn't sugarcoat the clan's wayward dynamics, but while the film has a handful of truly powerful moments, these are few and far between. Optional. (F. Swietek)