“All happy families are alike. Each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.”
What a mess.
In the opening scene of “All Happy Families,” Graham Landry is in the basement of his family’s two-flat apartment building on the North Side where he grew up and still resides in while also managing the property. Graham (Josh Radnor) is trying to process some truly bad news delivered by Phil the plumber (Antoine McKay) concerning the Orangeburg pipes that are causing leaks and are on the verge of bursting and creating total chaos.
Yep, it’s a mess all right — but it’s nothing compared to the emotional messiness permeating the lives of the dysfunctional Landry family, with multiple crises bubbling over after Graham’s parents and his brother arrive at the home for the weekend. In just 90 minutes, Chicago-born director and co-writer Haroula Rose (“Once Upon a River”) skillfully weaves together a myriad of storylines in a slice-of-life comedy-drama that rings true in every moment. There’s not a single character in this film that doesn’t come across as authentic.
The likable Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother”) is in his comfort zone as Graham, a nice, low-key guy who favors a messy beard, khakis and wrinkled shirts, and likes the occasional beer at the neighborhood bar. (Hey, there’s the Four Moon Tavern in Roscoe Village!) Graham is an aspiring actor and writer who reconnects with his college friend, Dana (Chandra Russell), a chef who is about to become his new tenant, and it’s clear Graham has a thing for Dana and why not, she’s wonderful. (Ah, but is it a good idea to pursue a romance with someone who’s about to move in downstairs?)
Graham’s parents have come to help him fix up the apartment. His rock-of-the-family mother Sue (Becky Ann Baker) has just retired but is still fending off advances from her slimy boss (David Pasquesi), while his crusty father Roy (John Ashton) has a gambling problem and is in a financial hole, not for the first time. If the house isn’t getting crowded enough, here comes Graham’s brother Will (Rob Huebel), who stars as the dad on a hit TV drama called “Winsome Falls.” (Later, we’ll meet the divorced Will’s teenage daughter, Evie, played by Ivy O’Brien, who has just come out as a trans woman, and we’ll learn the real reason why Will has fled Hollywood.)
This makes for a lot of plot-juggling, yet director Rose and co-writer Coburn Goss manage to give every character and every storyline its due. This film benefits from a terrific cast of talented actors who have appeared in many a TV show and movie, e.g., John Ashton of the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, Becky Ann Baker from “Freaks and Geeks” and “Girls,” Rob Huebel from “Transparent” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls” et al. They all slip comfortably into their roles, they all get their moments to shine, and my biggest complaint about “All Happy Families” is that it leaves us wanting more. There’s so much more we’d like to discover about this unhappy family.