Heather Graham’s sophomore feature film, Chosen Family, which she both wrote and directed, tells a universal story. Ann (Graham) is a yoga instructor who keeps failing into the same bad patterns in both her familial and romantic relationships. Being around her family is exhausting. Her father (Michael Gross) is a religious zealot who is constantly praying and criticising Ann for living in sin. Her mother (Julie Halston) once dreamed of becoming a famous singer until marriage and children got in the way, and now wants to make another go of it despite not possessing any real talent. Her sister Clio (Julia Stiles) is an addict recently out of rehab who struggles to stay clean and blames Ann for her problems. In fact, they all blame Ann for something and want her to make up for it. Luckily, Ann’s friends, couple Max and Frances (Thomas Lennon and Odessa Rae) and divorcée Roz (Andrea Savage), are a strong, supportive, and healthy group—Ann’s chosen family—who tell her that she is a good person worthy of her desires.
Set in a seaside town in Rhode Island, Ann wants to grow in her career as a yoga instructor and also find a good man. Her boss (Stacey Sargeant) wants Ann to try and attract more customers by starting a blog about being happy and posting photos of herself in her bikini like Kim Kardashian. There’s some light commentary on what it takes to run your own business—to be active on social media and selling yourself as a brand, as someone with a life worth having. There’s an absurdity in it, which Graham’s screenplay does capture. Ann soon finds herself set up with handsome contractor Steve (John Brotherton), who seems perfect in every way apart from his estranged wife dragging out their divorce. His daughter, Lilly (Ella Grace Helton), is cute initially, but soon morphs into the spawn of Satan after finding difficulty in adjusting to her parents’ failing relationship and her father dating someone new.
Chosen Family features plenty of gorgeous shots of scenery including overhead views of the town with its impressive houses and beaches. The cinematography by Steven Fierberg frequently makes for some stunning shots which is further complemented by the costume and set design. There is the question of how a yoga instructor can afford to live in a house by the sea, but I’ll call that suspension of disbelief so we can exist in this lovely area. Unfortunately, some shots do look flat but that might be the modern downfall of shooting on digital. Ultimately, it’s a good-looking film.
Ann frequently wonders if she has a pattern with the choices she’s making in her life. There’s a lot of focus on her relationships, on burning out with losers and dumping good guys, but the real problem is the pattern she’s stuck in with her dysfunctional family. She is always trying to please them and ignore their putdowns, but after a lifetime of chaos, she is growing more overwhelmed by their constant blaming, belittling, and drama. When things go tits up while delivering a yoga seminar, Ann realises that her choices are contributing to her own problems. “It’s easy to blame other people when things go wrong, but I have to ask myself: what’s my part?” This is the film’s central theme, but it’s lacklustre when Ann herself doesn’t seem to blame anyone for anything. She never really gets into it with her family members, other than a small tiff with Clio, so when she finally stands up for herself and puts herself first, it feels underwhelming.
Graham’s screenplay is well-written for what it is, but it doesn’t stand out. Its key themes and story are relatable but the characters don’t expand beyond their archetypes. A lot of the right ingredients are there, such as Clio’s history with trauma that led to her addiction, but it’s a brief heavy moment in what is otherwise billed as a romantic comedy. Chosen Family does better as a romantic comedy because its writing is stronger there, but it struggles to balance its dramatic themes. There’s a myriad of adult themes with superficial exploration, the strengthening of which could have saved it because they were the most interesting and relatable aspects. With weak themes and characterisation, there’s just no fire behind it. It’s certainly watchable, but Graham plays it so safe that Chosen Family feels more like a Hallmark movie.
Chosen Family is available on digital download from 21st April.
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