With family, everything is relative.

Starring: Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones, Michael Beach, Irma P. Hall, David Keith, Grace Zabriskie, Regina Taylor, Mary Jackson, Paula Marshall, James Harrell

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"If he looks white it's 'cause his daddy's white. I don't know how he look, I can't see him like you can, and don't need to. I don't have the blessing of being able to separate people by lookin' at 'em any more." - Aunt T.

Why watch this? It is a great film about seeing a perspective other than your own.

Plot Summary: After his elderly mother passes away, a Southern white man in Arkansas learns a shocking deathbed secret that his biological mother was actually an African-American woman. Driven to find his roots, he travels to Chicago to meet the black half-brother he never knew he had. There, he must confront his own prejudices and navigate a cold reception to build a connection with his newly discovered family.

Dad's Preview: This film, one that takes racism head-on, is a joy to watch, even if there are some scenes that might make a person feel uneasy. It's two lead stars, Duvall and Jones, give superb performances. We really feel the shock and pain they are going through, as they sort out a family lie that has come to an end. I really loved the Aunt T. character played by Irma P. Hall. She is that wonderful senior matriarch who says it like it is and ain't afraid to slap her grown grandson when he uses the Lord's name in vain. This family drama will give you a lot to think about. 

United Artists; MGM/UA Distribution Co.