Director-screenwriter Sarah Friedland made a rare hat trick at the Venice Film Festival, winning both best debut award and the direction and actress awards in the Orizzonti section. And it’s no wonder, as Friedland’s debut truly resonates regardless of one’s age. It is a precise, funny, and moving portrait of a woman adjusting to life in a new environment.
All is not quite right. The independent life of stylish eighty-something Ruth Goldman (Kathleen Chalfant) comes to an end when her companion books her into a care home at the end of a lunch outing. Confusion shadows Ruth’s face as the companion finally introduces herself as her son.
Friedland constructs her drama from experience working in the care facility and through sharp observations, and while its starting point may sound harsh, often the absurdity of the situations and surroundings brings a lighter tone. Broadway veteran Kathleen Chalfant is simply brilliant in a role of a lifetime. Moments of gentle affection and self-discovery peek through as Ruth encounters and accepts the care around her. Familiar Touch goes where few films dealing with aging dare to go, pushing its protagonist into the depths of their being, into that sensory feeling that remains when the mind can no longer keep up, yet the journey is not over.
Milja Mikkola