Manson Family Vacation might sound like the bastard son of a Jim Van Bebber or Quentin Tarantino movie, but it's something else altogether. This is a Duplass Brothers production.
The Duplass Brothers, Mark and Jay, came up in the independent climate of the 2000s and rose to the top with a small empire of smart, oddball movies made by fiercely independent filmmakers. The guys write, direct, edit, produce, and often act in their films.
Manson Family Vacation features Jay as Nick, an average American guy, successful in business, but less so in his family life. His young son is developing frightening anti-social behavior and communication with him ranges from difficult to impossible.
A long estranged brother, Conrad, shows up, carrying his only belongings in a backpack. Conrad is disheveled, uncouth, but possesses a weird sort of charisma. To complicate matters, Conrad is obsessed with Charles Manson.
In an attempt to understand and grow a bond with his brother, Nick reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on a sojourn to visit places of interest in the life of Manson. The homes where the murders were committed, the family ranch in Death Valley, etc.
Conrad is in contact with various members of a Manson cult, led by Saw's Tobin Bell. The cult regularly communicates with Charlie in prison and in their hero's name envision a world of harmony between people and nature. Don't bother pointing out the contradictions in their ideology.
Conrad is embraced, but it's unclear why he is so important to the neo-Mansonites. Meanwhile Jay has to face some unpleasant truths about his past and the way he always treated his black sheep brother.
There are no helter skelter murders in Manson Family Vacation, nor are there any scenes of horror or depravity. In Duplass tradition this movie examines unorthodox relationship dynamics in humorous and touching ways. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy offbeat stories about weird families. The sad irony is how many people who would get the most out of this movie will be put off by the title and poster.
Written by Mark Sieber
The Duplass Brothers, Mark and Jay, came up in the independent climate of the 2000s and rose to the top with a small empire of smart, oddball movies made by fiercely independent filmmakers. The guys write, direct, edit, produce, and often act in their films.
Manson Family Vacation features Jay as Nick, an average American guy, successful in business, but less so in his family life. His young son is developing frightening anti-social behavior and communication with him ranges from difficult to impossible.
A long estranged brother, Conrad, shows up, carrying his only belongings in a backpack. Conrad is disheveled, uncouth, but possesses a weird sort of charisma. To complicate matters, Conrad is obsessed with Charles Manson.
In an attempt to understand and grow a bond with his brother, Nick reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on a sojourn to visit places of interest in the life of Manson. The homes where the murders were committed, the family ranch in Death Valley, etc.
Conrad is in contact with various members of a Manson cult, led by Saw's Tobin Bell. The cult regularly communicates with Charlie in prison and in their hero's name envision a world of harmony between people and nature. Don't bother pointing out the contradictions in their ideology.
Conrad is embraced, but it's unclear why he is so important to the neo-Mansonites. Meanwhile Jay has to face some unpleasant truths about his past and the way he always treated his black sheep brother.
There are no helter skelter murders in Manson Family Vacation, nor are there any scenes of horror or depravity. In Duplass tradition this movie examines unorthodox relationship dynamics in humorous and touching ways. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy offbeat stories about weird families. The sad irony is how many people who would get the most out of this movie will be put off by the title and poster.
Written by Mark Sieber
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