“When Eric’s (Michael Cera) short trip back home turns into an extended stay, relationships with friends and family come to a head. The trip reunites him with his sisters, Rachel (Hannah Gross) and Maggie (Sophia Lillis), and unearths some old wounds as Maggie yearns to rekindle moments of their youth. At the same time, Eric falls back in with his old poker buddies, asserting his dominance as the best poker player in town. They gradually reveal their complicated inner lives, trauma, and relationships through theatrical performances and shared histories. The film’s strength lies in the cast’s nuanced performances and writer-director Dustin Guy Defa’s use of raw emotion and close-ups to convey the siblings’ complicated dynamic.
With top-notch performances from a talented cast, Defa’s latest is a personal and uplifting film that delves into family bonds and memories through the lens of a broken family trying to mend. A highlight of the Berlin Film Festival’s prestigious Encounters section, The Adults is a deftly crafted and affecting film that blends humor and heartache in a way that is both honest and relatable.” –Jarod Neece, Tribeca Film Festival
