The Savages

Right now you can watch The Savages on streaming — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Laura Linney — stay for everyone else around them. Start it whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The Savages earns its spot. The jokes in The Savages land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. A sister and brother face the realities of familial responsibility as they begin to care for their ailing father. Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2007. What keeps The Savages from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Savages is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Laura Linney anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.