THE FAMILY FANG Trailer

Quirky family dramas are a dime a dozen, so in addition to handling complex relationships and a mixed tone, they must do something to distinguish themselves from the pack. Some projects respond by amping up the quirk while others go for a big emotional payoff. The best manage to do both, which is precisely what people praised the best-selling book that The Family Fang is based on (same name) for doing.

That success led to Nicole Kidman’s production company Blossom Films snatching up the movie rights, and in collaboration with several other companies, the project underwent a relatively smooth production. Writer David Lindsay-Abaire was brought in after working with Kidman on Rabbit Hole, and director/co-star Jason Bateman was recruited the following year. It just goes to show that the good connections and star power that someone like Kidman brings can streamline projects, resulting in a debut novel having a film adaptation released in less than five years.

This, of course, doesn’t guarantee a quality project, and the indicators here are a bit inconsistent. Bateman’s previous directorial effort Bad Words was not well received, but family dramedies are the sweet spot of his acting repertoire. This film may be a better fit for him to cut his teeth on, while Kidman had great success with Rabbit Hole, the other film she produced and starred in through Blossom Films. Reactions from its festival circuit run were positive, which means despite its small release, this may be one worth seeking out.

The Family Fang is directed by Jason Bateman and stars Bateman, Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, and Maryann Plunkett. It will be released in the U.S. on April 29th, 2016. International release dates are not currently known.

Are you up for meeting another quirky family? Let us know in the comments!