movie review as they made us

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, as they made us.

Now streaming on:

Having been an actress her entire life, Mayim Bialik is wise enough to stand back and let her seasoned, starry cast shine in her feature filmmaking debut, “As They Made Us.”

Bialik writes, directs, and produces here, and the strongest moments she creates are the most understated ones—when she gives Dianna Agron , Dustin Hoffman , Candice Bergen and her “Big Bang Theory” co-star Simon Helberg room to find the nuance within the characters and their complicated interpersonal dynamics. But it takes a little while to achieve that groove, resulting in a well-acted but uneven family drama.

For about the first half, “As They Made Us” feels like two different movies awkwardly shoved together. In one, Agron’s Abigail is a recently divorced mother of two rambunctious boys who struggles to find love again. In the other, Abigail navigates the increasing demands of her dysfunctional family as the patriarch slips deeper into a debilitating ailment. Ostensibly, the latter informs the former, as flashbacks reveal her father’s verbal and physical abuse as well as her parents’ volatile spats. But the back-and-forth structure gives the film an uneasy early rhythm; “As They Made Us” finds surer footing when it focuses on the challenges of the present day.

Hoffman’s Eugene is a mercurial artist who was a terror in his younger days, as we see in quick and startling flashbacks. (Working with cinematographer David Feeney-Mosier , Bialik favors an orangey-brown color palette for these retro sequences, which eventually grows predictable and tiresome.) Now, Eugene is weak and confused as he approaches the end of his life. His long-suffering wife, Bergen’s Barbara, is such a narcissist that she’s incapable of actually caring for him, and instead uses his dependency as an opportunity to belittle him. At the same time, Barbara pushes away his various doctors and caregivers, forcing Abigail to step in and serve as problem solver. Older brother Nathan (Helberg) has been estranged from the family for the past 20 years because of all these issues and more, but now Abigail beseeches him to return, make amends and say his final farewells.

Everyone is basically awful, and it’s up to Abigail to sort through the nonsense and noise. But this is no wacky, screwed-up-family comedy. “As They Made Us” is most effective in its gentle, intimate, everyday moments, and Bialik mercifully refrains from melodrama as the film reaches its tearful conclusion. Anyone who has lost a loved one after a long illness will relate to the agonizing wait depicted here in tasteful, matter-of-fact fashion, as well as the uncomfortable moments that arise when family members try to set aside their differences at such times of loss and grief.

Agron does lovely work with this meaty role, finding a light touch within the comic moments as well as a naturalism within the dramatic ones. She also enjoys a sweet, light chemistry with Justin Chu Cary as Jay, the landscaper with whom she begins a tentative romance. (Their first date at a sushi restaurant, though, is an example of Bialik’s tendency to hang back a little too far with the camera; these are beautiful people flirting easily with each other, this is not the time to keep us at a distance.) Agron’s unfussy performance represents the best work of the “Glee” actress’ career, and she rises in fine fashion opposite her veteran co-stars. Helberg has more of a sporadic, supporting presence, but he’s particularly strong in a scene where Nathan and Eugene awkwardly reunite after decades apart, once the father is a shell of his former self. Again, Bialik knows enough to let the inherent drama of this moment speak for itself. And of course, Hoffman and Bergen are total pros, finding subtle detail in their characters’ physicality to convey a great deal about their interior lives.

“As They Made Us” is clearly a personal debut effort for Bialik, but she shows enough confidence behind the camera to make you curious about whatever other stories she has to tell.

Now playing in theaters and available on VOD. 

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Now playing

You Can Call Me Bill

Clint worthington.

You'll Never Find Me

Sheila o'malley.

The Listener

Matt zoller seitz.

Brian Tallerico

Film Credits

As They Made Us (2022)

Rated R for language.

Dianna Agron as Abigail

Simon Helberg as Nathan

Candice Bergen as Barbara

Dustin Hoffman as Eugene

Justin Chu Cary as Jay

Charlie Weber as Peter

Julian Gant as Darrin

Gina Jun as Grad Student

Sweta Keswani as Dr. Patel

• Mayim Bialik

Cinematographer

• David Feeney-Mosier
• Monica Salazar
• Kevin Besignano

Latest blog posts

Speed Kills: On the 25th Anniversary of Go

Joanna Arnow Made Her BDSM Comedy for You

The Movies That Underwent Major Changes After Their Festival Premiere

Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives Is A Spinoff Stuck In Limbo

Advertisement

Supported by

‘As They Made Us’ Review: If the Apple Falls, Who Retrieves It?

A dutiful daughter navigates the consequences of her parents’ failings in Mayim Bialik’s engagingly compassionate directorial debut.

• Share full article

By Lisa Kennedy

For her directorial debut, Mayim Bialik — the neuroscientist, sitcom star, and finalist for the “Jeopardy!” host gig — hewed to what she knew: reckoning with the legacy of volatile parents.

At the start of her smartly observed, well-cast drama “As They Made Us,” a young Abigail and her brother, Nathan, listen from the back seat of a car while their parents downshift into a nasty argument. It’s clearly not a one-off. The youngsters appear in flashbacks illuminating the power of their parents’ undiagnosed mental illness to shape the adults they become — especially Abigail (Dianna Agron).

Dustin Hoffman and Candice Bergen portray the parents as they were — when eruptions of violence and stubborn denial were routine — and as they are now. Eugene is suffering a degenerative condition that exacerbates confusion; Barbara, so uncomfortable with vulnerability, doubles down on control even as she leans on Abigail.

Abigail has two children, has been divorced a year and is a columnist for a glossy magazine, The Modern Jew. She’s smart, overtaxed and a textbook dutiful daughter. Decades earlier, Nathan (Simon Helberg) high-tailed it and remains estranged.

Bialik gets adroit work from the ensemble. Helberg brings moving nuance to Nathan’s sullen reckoning. Justin Chu Cary keeps Abigail’s love interest on the grown-up side of what could have been a too-good-to-be true character. Still, even with veterans like Hoffman and Bergen, it’s Agron’s film. She and Bialik make Abigail’s filial loyalty as sympathetic as it is exasperating, and as rife with difficult truths about aging as it is understatedly hopeful about growing up.

As They Made Us Rated R for abusive and explosive language. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on Amazon , Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell speak about how “Anyone but You” beat the rom-com odds. Here are their takeaways after the film , debuting on Netflix, went from box office miss to runaway hit.

The vampire ballerina in the new movie “Abigail” has a long pop culture lineage . She and her sisters are obsessed, tormented and likely to cause harm.

In a joint interview, the actors Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough discuss “Under the Bridge,” their new true-crime series  based on a teenager’s brutal killing in British Columbia.

The movie “Civil War” has tapped into a dark set of national angst . In polls and in interviews, a segment of voters say they fear the country’s divides may lead to actual, not just rhetorical, battles.

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter  to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

‘As They Made Us’ Review: Dianna Agron’s Graceful Performance Grounds Mayim Bialik’s Debut

Despite its minor aftertaste, Bialik’s first feature engages with a sure-handed rhythm and veterans Dustin Hoffman and Candice Bergen in key parts.

By Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly

• ‘Nowhere Special’ Review: Understated Terminal Illness Drama Earns Your Tears 4 days ago
• ‘We Grown Now’ Review: Minhal Baig Lovingly Tells a Lyrical Friendship Tale Set in 1990s Chicago 2 weeks ago
• ‘Common Ground’ Review: Well-Intentioned Doc About Regenerative Farming Offers Limited Insights Into an American Environmental Crisis 2 weeks ago

Pretty much every family has a reliably dutiful mitigator: They are the sacrificing person to whom siblings vent when familial affairs turn sour and parents call for on-demand assistance. Among the Frays — the family at the heart of Mayim Bialik ’s soberly affecting if not a touch monotonous domestic drama “ As They Made Us ” — the honors belong to the selfless Abigail, portrayed by an elegantly low-key Dianna Agron (“Shiva Baby,” “Glee”).

Indeed, the frantic single mother of two hyper boys and columnist for The Modern Jew drops everything and runs to help out whenever there is yet another friction at her folks’ house. She is a certified saint and Bialik’s respectable directorial debut — loosely inspired by the former “Big Bang Theory” actress and current “Jeopardy” host’s own familial past — quickly builds a strong case for her virtuousness. We learn that even as a child stuck with a perennially quarreling mom and dad, Abigail had a way to ease tensions and tend to the emotional needs of her brother Nathan (played by Bialik’s “Big Bang Theory” co-star Simon Helberg in adulthood). An early flashback shows us as much: Grown-ups have a deafening fight in the family car, while the kids in the backseat treat it as mere background noise and engage in a serene conversation, shepherded by the calm and collected Abigail. If only the people that surround her could deserve her genuine devotion, a trait that Agron sells convincingly in her understated performance, steering clear of clichéd sentimental outbursts.

Casting a pair of veterans as the Fray parents with abusive tendencies infuses Bialik’s small outing with immediate high-profile credibility. In a slightly over-baked performance that leans too heavily on comedy at times, Candice Bergen plays Barbara, the manipulative and often insultingly rude matriarch, someone who can’t even bother to learn the names of people that assist her, while she remains in denial about her husband’s flailing health. Subtler and more polished than Bergen, Dustin Hoffman plays Eugene, the ailing dad with a degenerative condition, who falls and injures himself frequently and routinely goes through domestic helpers that don’t seem to last at the demanding job.

Popular on Variety

Because Nathan, now a respected scholar, has been estranged from the family by choice for years, Abigail dedicates herself to cleaning up the mess whenever duty calls, without any boundaries. Apart from her journalism gig (which we never see her actually performing), the only refuge she seems to have is her charming landscaper, Jay (Justin Chu Cary). In due course, he becomes a supportive romantic interest for Abigail, enlivening the yarn with a rather welcome contrast to her rigid ex-husband and all the other suffocating people that occupy her life.

It’s anyone’s guess how a lowly columnist could afford a landscaper or her seemingly comfortable lifestyle in general. But while Bialik falls short of representing Abigail’s livelihood plausibly, she succeeds in being keenly attuned to her everyday dilemmas and restorative routines, among them is a loving embrace of faith and the passing of her Jewish traditions to her kids in some of the film’s most open-handed moments of grace.

Elsewhere, Bialik proves to have an organic handle on the delicate rhythms of storytelling, unraveling the Fray siblings’ respective tales via well-paced flashbacks that flow smoothly throughout “As They Made Us,” photographed by David Feeney-Mosier’s soft, unassuming lens. Through a few of these stylishly braided memories, we get the backstory on Nathan’s separation. The reason, truth be told, doesn’t make much sense: Are we to believe that a seemingly liberal family would be disapproving of his living with his girlfriend before marriage? Nevertheless, Bialik manages to tap into believable emotions once Nathan makes a brief return to the family, after Eugene’s condition irreversibly worsens.

Compared to the masterful “The Father” and similarly themed “The Glass Castle” — both about the entanglement of love, shame and resentment when it comes to parental relations — “As They Made Us” leaves a minor, even inconsequential impression. But despite an eager-to-please ending that tries too hard to redeem the elderly Frays, Bialik’s movie still offers up hope, humor and above all, keen observations on grief in the wake of those who’ve damaged us in ways both tangible and veiled. That’s no small reward for an effort of such modest ambitions.

Reviewed online, April 6, 2022. Running time: 96 MIN.

• Production: A Quiver Distribution presentation of Yale Productions, Bradley Pilz Prods., Cranium Entertainment, Film Mode Entertainment, Idiot Savant Pictures, Rolling Pictures, Screen Media Films production, in association with BondIt Media Capital, Carte Blanche, Slated, Vested Interest. Producers: Jordan Beckerman, Ash Christian, Anne Clements, Michael Day, Jordan Yale Levine, Mark Maxey. Executive producers: Candy Anderson, Jonathan Benefiel, Tiffany Boyle, Ori Eisen, Clay Epstein, David Fannon, David Gendron, Barry Germansky, Lawrence Greenberg, Matthew Helderman, Ali Jazayeri, Theodore Lodato, Tai Lopez, Marc Lotti, Keanu Mayo, Alex Mehr, Berry Meyerowitz, Jeffrey Morton, David Nagelberg, David Nazar, Seth Needle, Bradley Pilz, Christopher Pollock, Frank Ponce, Elsa Ramo, Jim Rine, Jeff Sackman, Sandi Schwartz, Philip W. Shaltz, Kyle Stroud, Luke Taylor, Jeffrey Tussi, Steven Tussi, Gary Watkins, John Wollman.
• Crew: Director, writer: Mayim Bialik. Camera: David Feeney-Mosier. Editor: Monica Salazar. Music: Kevin Besignano.
• With: Dianna Agron, Simon Helberg, Candice Bergen, Dustin Hoffman, Justin Chu Cary, Charlie Weber, Julian Gant.

More From Our Brands

Hunter biden is gearing up to sue fox news ‘imminently’: report, inside antigua’s new adults-only all-inclusive hotel, complete with overwater bungalows, real estate firm lvxp proposes new venue for las vegas nba team, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, will trent’s ramón rodríguez tees up high-stakes wedding episode — and potential conflict with uncle antonio, verify it's you, please log in.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Challengers Link to Challengers
• I Saw the TV Glow Link to I Saw the TV Glow
• Música Link to Música

New TV Tonight

• The Veil: Season 1
• Hacks: Season 3
• The Tattooist of Auschwitz: Season 1
• A Man in Full: Season 1
• Acapulco: Season 3
• Welcome to Wrexham: Season 3
• John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA: Season 1
• Star Wars: Tales of the Empire: Season 1
• My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Season 4.2
• Shardlake: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• Knuckles: Season 1
• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Goodbye Earth: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• Them: Season 2
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1 Link to Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch

30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

Poll: Most Anticipated Movies of May 2024

• Trending on RT
• Challengers
• The Fall Guy
• Play Movie Trivia

As They Made Us Reviews

Hoffman and Bergen personify that poignant unity so well on screen, standing out in a very strong cast. The two have put out dozens of worthy and vital performances, but Barbara and Eugene are people that seemed very real to me for a couple of hours.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | May 14, 2022

(Candice) Bergen fearlessly embodies a truly flawed, abrasive mother that we have all come across. The film itself is a remarkably authentic, non-judgmental portrait of a dysfunctional family buoyed by Dianna Agron's excellent performance.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Apr 28, 2022

As They Made Us feels like a therapy exercise, the random scribbling of notes in an effort to better understand the present and shed light on past transgressions.

Full Review | Apr 27, 2022

You may have noticed how things like this have been running in one long generational cycle, according to where Hollywoods late-Baby Boomerearly-Gen X contingent are in their lives. Like we needed another of those.

Full Review | Apr 25, 2022

If you don’t tear up at least once during As They Made Us, actress Mayim Bialik’s debut feature as a director, you should probably head to the doctor for a checkup.

Full Review | Apr 14, 2022

Bialik's directing is solid, and the cast's performances are excellent, but the script needs work to keep viewers engaged.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 12, 2022

The dialogue in As They Made Us rings authentic and the performances are universally strong, but there’s a dour air to the proceedings, and we wind up thinking Abigail would have been better off if she, too, had left home the moment it was possible...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Apr 11, 2022

Mayim Bialik couldn’t have had a better debut for a feature film.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Apr 11, 2022

An emotionally raw study of generational trauma that marks Mayim Bialik as a filmmaker to put on notice

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 9, 2022

As They Made Us offers an honest examination of how the scars of the past shape the complicated bonds of the present.

Full Review | Apr 9, 2022

Despite awkward plotting, sometimes clunky dialogue and two reconciliation scenes that are unconvincing even if they happened, it has a radiant heart and a sense of deep authenticity that will resonate with anyone who faces such family trauma.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 8, 2022

As They Made Us is clearly a personal debut effort for Bialik, but she shows enough confidence behind the camera to make you curious about whatever other stories she has to tell.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 8, 2022

Abigails resolute determination to be a dependable family member for parents who have practically destroyed her life could be seen as a cruel tragedy in the hands of a Todd Solondz, but Bialik finds a shocking amount of pity for Abigails abusers.

Full Review | Apr 8, 2022

It is tough viewing, but beautifully written, directed, and acted and a win for Bialik. You’ll never look at Bergen the same way again.

As They Made Us ... allows Bialik and the cast dig into the troublesome and troubling ways of this family...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 8, 2022

Despite its minor aftertaste, Bialik’s first feature engages with a sure-handed rhythm and veterans Dustin Hoffman and Candice Bergen in key parts.

Full Review | Apr 7, 2022

One of the best things about As They Made Us is its pronounced lack of judgment.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Apr 7, 2022

Bialik gets adroit work from the ensemble.

Well-acted and heartfelt, but ultimately undercooked and not unflinching enough.

The movie rings true, with just enough convincing, oddball details to distinguish it from the generic run of dying parent dramas.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 6, 2022

‘As They Made Us’ Film Review: Mayim Bialik’s Impressive Feature Debut Explores Family Crisis

In an all-star ensemble, Candice Bergen steals the show as a dysfunctional matriarch

Mayim Bialik may not be the first “Jeopardy!” host to direct a film (that would be guest host LeVar Burton), but she is the first to write a feature film herself.

Of course, “As They Made Us” strives to be so much more than a piece of trivia: It’s a sensitive portrayal of end-of-life care from the perspective of a daughter who has endured a lifetime of emotional and sometimes physical abuse, and it mostly works.

Dianna Agron (“Shiva Baby”) stars as Abigail, a newly-divorced mother of two screaming children. The people in Abigail’s life don’t walk all over her; they practically stampede. Her ex-husband barges in unannounced and refuses to take his junk out of the house. Her mother Barbara (Candice Bergen) has borderline personality disorder, and their relationship is aggravating and fraught. Abigail writes for a magazine but never gets meaningful opportunities to shine.

And then there’s Abigail’s father, Eugene (Dustin Hoffman), who is dying from a degenerative condition and rapidly losing his physical faculties. Abigail comes over to her parents’ house practically every day to care for her ailing patriarch, even when her mother doesn’t, despite the fact (as we quickly learn in flashbacks) that her father was emotionally and at least sometimes physically abusive throughout her childhood.

“As They Made Us” is a very forgiving film about seemingly unforgivable pain, which is to say that it has been made with a lot of unconditional love. Abigail’s resolute determination to be a dependable family member for parents who have practically destroyed her life could be seen as a cruel tragedy in the hands of a filmmaker like Todd Solondz, but Bialik finds a shocking amount of pity for Abigail’s abusers, if only because dying slowly is excruciating and providing end-of-life care for a lifelong spouse is also undeniably hellish.

Rounding out the cast is Simon Helberg as Nathan, Abigail’s brother, who abandoned the family 20 years ago for extremely obvious reasons. Nathan has never looked back, and when Abigail reaches out to let him know that Eugene is in hospice, he’s got a very quick decision to make about how much he actually wants to see his father one last time.

Nathan’s decision is somewhat surprising and deeply illuminating, and it throws Abigail’s own family situation into sharp relief. One wonders if Abigail has ever truly understood just how much damage her parents, however well-intentioned they might have been, actually inflicted on her life. One wonders if Nathan’s decision to sever ties completely was the only way he could truly find happiness. And one wonders if Helberg’s laconic, sad-sack performance suggests, even with a relatively small amount of screen time, that moving away was little more than a bandage for damage that was already permanently done.

As a cinematic construct, “As They Made Us” waffles between professional and lackluster. Attempts to de-age Hoffman in early flashbacks look almost unilaterally unconvincing, and the editing by Monica Salazar (“Honey Boy”) sometimes tries to work wonders with limited ingredients. There’s an odd moment where Abigail sees Nathan and his family from across a driveway and says “and they are coming over” even though Nathan has only just noticed her, from pretty far away. But in the next shot, he’s already walked over, strange as it clearly seems.

But the majority of “As They Made Us” is a solid character-driven acting showcase for everyone involved. Agron has a somewhat thankless task as a protagonist defined by her lack of agency, to the extent that even her biggest moment of life-changing character development happens off-screen between a major plot point and a “Six Months Later” title card. But she carries herself with immense dignity and emotional complexity.

Hoffman is so effective at conveying on-screen fragility, up to and including a death rattle, that it’s genuinely shocking to see him acting so vital in the flashbacks. We’re so used to seeing this actor confidently dominate the screen that watching him recede evokes instant sympathy and even active distress. Helberg convincingly plays a man whose life seems dedicated to peacefulness and platitudes, no doubt as a way to protect himself from the volatility he experienced as a youth.

But it’s Candice Bergen who truly runs away with “As They Made Us,” acrobatically juggling the tricky emotional state of a self-centered person losing the only human being to whom she emotionally connects and handling it in the most self-centered way she can. Loneliness emanates from Barbara in practically visible waves, and her helplessness visibly emerges through the holes of her abrasive façade. It’s a dynamic and earnest portrayal of a person who never seems entirely earnest. It’s an electric role.

Bialik and story editor Jonathan Cohen have crafted a somewhat ramshackle production and filled it with excellent character work from an impressive cast. “As They Made Us” is sensitive to end-of-life care but, apart from a mawkish closing-credits sequence, doesn’t seem eager to let this family off the hook for their failings. It’s a relatively mature work from a first-time filmmaker, even if it’s a little rough around the edges.

“As They Made Us” opens in U.S. theaters and on demand April 8.

Summary Abigail (Dianna Agron), a divorced mother of two, is struggling to balance the dynamic forces within her dysfunctional family as she attempts to cultivate new love.

Written By : Jonathan Cohen

As They Made Us

Where to watch.

Dustin Hoffman

Dianna Agron

Simon Helberg

Candice Bergen

Charlie Weber

Jonathan cohen, inspirational man, sweta keswani, justin chu cary, julian gant, wesley holloway, jeremy kucharek, college student, john wollman, dr. ashkenazy, anastasia veronica lee, young abigail, edward olaie, self mourner, mellanie hubert, sheilagh weymouth, funeral guest #2, oliver patnode, young nathan, abraham vasquez, college professor, critic reviews.

• All Reviews
• Positive Reviews
• Mixed Reviews
• Negative Reviews

User Reviews

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Related Movies

The Conformist

Lawrence of Arabia (re-release)

The Godfather

Citizen Kane

Three Colors: Red

The Leopard (re-release)

Tokyo Story

Dekalog (1988)

Fanny and Alexander (re-release)

Touch of Evil

Army of Shadows

City Lights

Intolerance

The Rules of the Game

Seven Samurai

The Wild Bunch

Au hasard Balthazar

Pépé le Moko (re-release)

Related news.

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Jason dietz.

Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

April Movie Preview (2024)

Keith kimbell.

The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order.

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

As They Made Us (2022) Review

A look at how the past moulds the future.

As They Made Us

A dysfunctional family can sit at the core of plenty of movie genres. Comedy , action , and even horror can take us on that journey, and As They Made Us portrays it well through drama . This film is the directorial debut of Mayim Bialik ( Blossom, The Big Bang Theory ), who also takes writing credit alongside story editor Jonathan Cohen. Bits of Bialik’s Jewish heritage are found throughout the film, exploring life, death and beautiful traditions along the way.

As They Made Us takes viewers on a journey of this familial dysfunction through the eyes of daughter, mother and sister, Abigail (Dianna Agron), while she navigates through life after divorce and caring for her dying father ( Dustin Hoffman ). With an overbearing, toxic mother (Candice Bergen) Abby has found herself estranged from her brother (Simon Helberg), dealing with the chaos that is their family entirely on her own, or so she feels, anyway.

This movie is one that can resonate with anyone, whether you’re a parent , child, or partner. The depth of struggles in As They Made Us i s explored through lovers, siblings, parents and children, work and friends. We are shown trauma cascading down from generation to generation and from home life to work life. 

Agron ( Glee, I Am Number Four ) perfectly portrays a woman trying to hold everything and everyone together, without handling her own trauma, wants and needs. Abby is written by someone who knows what it’s like to be a mother and a child, and the weight that can place on someone’s shoulders. Trying to protect your children from the trauma you have endured and keeping traditions and faith alive through them is no small feat. 

“We are shown trauma cascading down from generation to generation…”

Small gestures are included, like taking her children from the room where her mother is melting down. We see her children tuck her in with the same prayer she puts them to bed with each night. These are just glimpses of the positive effect she has chosen to have on her children’s lives, the complete opposite that her parents had on her. This is where I credit Bialik the most, as small touches like these can make a film, and they absolutely did here.

The cast of As They Made Us never pulled their punches. What you think is a story about a loving daughter saying goodbye to her sweet, elderly father, Eugene, becomes entangled with abuse, pain, and struggle. We see short scenes from the past where Hoffman ( Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man ) is nothing like the man we know in the present. His ability to play a fired up, abusive father and switch to this innocent, sweet dying man is triggering and heartbreaking. You can love and hate Hoffman’s character in a manner of minutes, so clearly he is doing something right.

“ As They Made Us is an emotional journey, but one absolutely worth taking.”

Bergen’s ( Miss Congeniality, Murphy Brown ) character is a little less redeeming, with very few likeable moments, as it should be. Her motherly role is entitled and toxic, causing damage to her children that her son, Nathan (Helberg), describes as less tangible than that caused by their father. Like it sneaks into your mind, poisoning you. Bergen plays an unlikable woman well, but effortlessly displays a softer side when needed, which wasn’t often.

The relationship between Nathan and Abby was possibly the hardest for me to watch, which is a good indicator that Agron and Helberg ( The Big Bang Theory ) did exactly what was needed. The bond between brother and sister is a complicated one, especially when trauma is involved. We see two people separated, who clearly don’t want to be, when they are products of the same upbringing—“as they made us” so to speak—and watch as that story unfolds, hoping they can come back together.

My only issue with As They Made Us is that I wanted more. Ending on a positive note is one thing, but somehow I found myself hoping for more of a future for Nathan and Abby. There is a climactic dispute between mother and daughter, but there seems to be no fallout afterwards, no repercussions or change, and our characters simply move forward. I suppose such is life, and that makes for a more realistic ending. They simply just were. 

As They Made Us resonated with me. I saw myself in Abby, the mother, making breakfast and living in chaos. I saw myself in Abby, the daughter, constantly worrying, taking care of others and saying goodbye to her father. I saw myself in Barbara, the mother, protecting her children in the middle of the night, and even as Nathan, the brother, doing what is necessary to protect himself. I saw the deep love that grows between two people who have been together as long as Barbara and Eugene.

As They Made Us is essentially a collection of several short stories about each individual character and how they were affected by the circumstances of their lives. These stories create the reality they are living in now, and it is our privilege as viewers to watch them navigate who they have become, and who they choose to be from here. As They Made Us is an emotional journey, but one absolutely worth taking.

Final Thoughts

Dayna is a long-time gamer, mom of two and aunt to many. She absolutely loves introducing the people she knows to her love for games and nerd culture. Dayna began at CGMagazine as a columnist with the family-centred tech and gaming column, Parental No-Scope. Since then, she has written ample news articles, reviews and features and now fills the role of Executive Editor for CGM.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, CGMagazine may earn a commission. However, please know this does not impact our reviews or opinions in any way. See our ethics statement.

Related Stories

The King Tide (2023) Review

Spy x Family Code: White (2024) Review

Abigail (2024) Review

Top stories.

• What’s Coming To Netflix In May 2024? That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime RPG Coming Soon No Rest for the Wicked Preview – Shaping Up to Be a Genre Innovator Microsoft CEO Comments on Xbox Games Coming to PlayStation, “Committed to Meeting Players Where They Are” TP-Link BE9300 Archer Review New Expansion EVE Online: Equinox Will Empower Players to Seize Control of Nullsec Spy x Family Code: White (2024) Review This Week In Mobile Gaming: Zenless Zone Zero Pre-Register, A New NFL Game & Zombies! Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Has Reportedly Only Sold 2 Million Copies Razer Kishi Ultra Review

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – As They Made Us (2022)

April 8, 2022 by Robert Kojder

As They Made Us , 2022.

Written and Directed by Mayim Bialik. Starring Dianna Agron, Simon Helberg, Candice Bergen, Dustin Hoffman, Justin Chu Cary, Charlie Weber, Julian Gant, Anastasia Veronica Lee, Oliver Patnode, Michal Birnbaum, Sweta Keswani, Harrison Fox, John Wollman, Jeremy Kucharek, and Wesley Holloway.

A divorced mom tries to make peace with her dysfunctional family as she finds a second chance at love.

Writer and director Mayim Bialik’s feature-length narrative debut, As They Made Us , is a deeply personal project. There’s never once second-guessing or hesitation that it could be otherwise. That’s partially because our perception of these family members might not align with how they see each other or which parent was more destructive and arguably abusively overbearing in raising the titular siblings at the center of the story. There’s not just a complexity to the characters themselves, but an entire family dynamic that feels more like a filmmaker unpacking and sorting out this baggage as a coping mechanism rather than a hit piece searching for one individual to demonize.

To say that Abigail and Nathan (portrayed as adults by Dianna Agron and Simon Helberg, but also emotionally rich as children when played by Anastasia Veronica Lee and Oliver Patnode) come from a broken home would be an understatement. Their parents, Eugene and Barbara (legendary greats Dustin Hoffman and Candice Bergen turning in some terrific career-twilight performances), constantly swore and shouted at one another. Eugene sometimes got violent towards Abigail. Presented in flashbacks, sometimes it was a slap across the face as a child or unintentionally shoving her up against the kitchen refrigerator as an adult in an attempt to move her out of the way while seething with rage toward Nathan for considering moving out with his girlfriend Karen and already having sex with her. Some of these decisions seem to upset the frigid and neurotic Barbara more so, which also appears to be what triggers Eugene further.

Around that time, Nathan decided to escape the family, only occasionally keeping contact with Abigail. As to be imagined, Abigail was forced to bear the brunt of this emotional terrorism while trying to build a family and life for herself. Currently, she is divorced with two children, crushing on the landscaper (Justin Chu Cary) doing work outside her house, and doesn’t have the energy to stand up to anyone in her life, including her ex-husband (who is at least good with the kids and in their lives).

Some devastating news also comes for Eugene, diagnosed with a degenerative condition with an estimated six months to live. Firstly, it should be noted that Dustin Hoffman is tremendous at conveying the physical and mental toll the disease takes, significantly as it gradually limits his mobility and abilities. And as his condition worsens, Barbara’s overbearing, profusely stubborn personality heightens. Naturally, she fears the inevitable, which the script understands and affords her that empathy despite her numerous other wrongdoings and inability to release control over her adult children’s lives. Similarly, Abigail wrestles that she was never the favorite sibling or nurtured by him properly but still has an unwavering love for her father, able to see the good and how he was more rational than her mother in some ways.

There are tiny, emotional, raw moments throughout As They Made Us pulling from the complex family dynamic, such as Eugene in the presence of his selfless and loving daughter, barely able to speak, wishing he could see Nathan one last time. Nathan is unsure if he wants to see his father once more, even when the hourglass is nearly empty. He, too, is understood, for as heartless as that sounds, although he does realize his father always supported his interest in art and is partially responsible for the man he is today.

It is easy to get tangled open between who is in the right and who is in the wrong while watching As They Made Us , which feels like the point. It’s trying to do a bit too much in its third act and epilogue, with some aspects of Abigail’s life coming across as an afterthought, but for the most part, this is an emotionally raw study of generational trauma that marks Mayim Bialik as a filmmaker to put on notice.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★  / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check  here  for new reviews, follow my  Twitter  or  Letterboxd , or email me at [email protected]

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Underappreciated Action Stars Who Deserve More Love

The Most Obscure & Shocking John Waters Movies

PM Entertainment and the Art of Rip-offs With Razzmatazz

Who is the Best Final Girl in Horror?

The Essential Man vs. AI Movies

The Most Disturbing Horror Movies of the 1980s

Studios defiantly stick to reboots and sequels but are we bored yet?

10 Essential Films From 1994

Fox Marvel Characters Who Need Redemption in Deadpool 3

Cannon Films and the Search for Critical Acclaim

• Comic Books
• Video Games
• Toys & Collectibles
• Articles and Opinions
• About Flickering Myth
• Write for Flickering Myth
• Advertise on Flickering Myth
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

• Contributors

As They Made Us Movie Review: A Solid Directorial Debut for Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik has become successful in numerous fields. From landing roles in acclaimed television shows such as Blossom and The Big Bang Theory to guest-hosting Jeopardy! to being a neuroscientist, there’s a lot that the 46-year-old has done in her lifetime. Bialik can now add “director” to her list of accomplishments. Her feature film debut, As They Made Us , is heartfelt and touching. It’s also a realistic portrayal of how difficult family members can test your patience and how to balance between dealing with their needs and juggling your own life.

Dianna Agron plays Abigail, a recently divorced mother of two who also has to deal with the consistent pressure her parents put on her. Her father Eugene (Dustin Hoffman) is terminally ill, and her mother Barbara (Candice Bergen) doesn’t believe the severity of the condition. Barbara is overbearing to the point where it’s difficult for any caregiver to assist Eugene long-term, due to Barbara being displeased with their service and immediately firing them.

Abigail’s family is not an easy one to deal with. Through flashbacks, the viewer witnesses the abuse and torture her parents put her and her brother Nathan through, as well as the constant berating Barbara and Eugene had for each other. Most people would question how the two stayed together for so long. But deep down inside, there’s a genuine affection they have for each other and both Hoffman and Bergen are wonderful in these moments of true love.

Even in the present day, there’s still a genuine affection that Barbara and Eugene have for each other. Despite the fact that Barbara is not an entirely likable character, Bergen is able to bring about a certain level of realism to someone who is tough to be around. For his part as Eugene, Hoffman is wonderful and he’s able to perfectly capture the difficulties and emotions of someone dealing with a degenerative disease.

As They Made Us can be a challenge to watch at times, as Bialik digs deep into the uncomfortable feeling of being there for your family – despite their faults – and cutting yourself off to live your own life. When Nathan (played terrifically as an adult by Simon Helberg) was old enough, he chose the latter. As Abigail attempts to bring Nathan back into the circle, while their father is on his final days, Nathan becomes hesitant and resistant – while also criticizing his sister for not going the same route he did when he reached adulthood.

Agron’s performance as Abigail is the one that carries the most heft, as her character grows and adapts to the issues at hand. The central conflict of being there for your family and forging your own life weighs heavily on Abigail, and Agron is exceptional in finding the core of her character’s internal and external conflicts.

Bialik’s steady direction lends the viewers to conversations that make it feel like we are witnessing them firsthand. Certain scenes that are filled with dialogue are shown in steady shot format, where the characters are talking and the camera is solely focused on them. There’s very little cutting back and forth between who’s speaking and who’s not, making it that much more authentic.

Bialik’s directorial debut is not groundbreaking, as the script can sometimes fall prey to predictable moments. But As They Made Us is still something that is sweet, heartbreaking, and sometimes almost too real. It’s a drama about how family can be difficult, but also how they shaped you into who you are today.

As They Made Us releases to limited theaters and VOD on April 8.

David Wangberg

Leave a comment cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Search & Filter

• All Categories 4K UHD  (144) A Fellowship of Misfits: Dispatches from the Con  (59) A Study in Sherlock  (13) Awards  (33) Best of list  (35) Blu-ray  (2,784) Book  (433) Comic Book  (78) Comic Strips  (64) Concert  (89) Contest  (53) Conventions  (59) Criterion Collection  (450) Documentary  (327) Features  (554) Film Festival  (83) Film Festivals  (50) Five Cool Things and…  (170) Food & Beverage  (138) From the Couch Hole  (146) Games  (11) Harry Potter and the Sentries of Cinema  (14) Interview  (45) Journal of the Whills  (38) Morris Menagerie  (12) Movie  (4,703) Music  (338) New Releases  (209) News  (1,011) Operation: BOND  (42) Opinion  (291) Panels Preview  (30) Photography  (1) Pick of the Week  (584) Review  (6,364) Screenings  (56) Sentries vs. Apes  (11) Short Films  (102) Soundtrack  (9) T & A  (94) Tales of Trek  (57) Tarantinology  (17) The Fast and the Curious  (12) Theater  (7) TV  (943) TV Listings  (31) Uncategorized  (0) Who Watches the Doctors?  (84)
• All Authors Adam Blair ajeremiah34 AlekLudvig arnulfolanier86 audrabudd8 azxjulio749368 bigjimboextreme BlueSevenSeven Blumorpho [email protected] bonnychauncy260 breannaschlemmer Buckey777 calvinjiron4375 Captain James charlenespence Cinema Sentries cornellblossevil coyzeller98 Critical curmudgeon daniellemolinari Darcy Staniforth dataentrytard David Wangberg Davy delilah04m delverret3 denesecarder4 derrickshowalter Dmccoy50 Dusty Somers eh Elizabeth Periale [email protected] Elsid22 esperanzarister eswright18 euchre35 garysgirl61 generaljabbo geniaortiz32 Ginaferrell Gordon S. Miller gracielapedder Greg Barbrick Greg Hammond gytjody91904 hayley45m84180 Henry Asis horaceguzman18 ilaengle4213694 Jack Cormack Jade Blackmore jeanaliddell171 jeannerintel18 JellyPA JenC JenMC jeraldlynch4 jerryz80356 jessevetter6478 jmcharries Joe Garcia III jsmithcinema judefan justalwaysmakeiteasy katherinlush Kent Conrad kimberlyweiser6 Kit O'Toole KnackeredGeezer kvucharley LilNerosPizza liz121181 lkw1974 Lorna Miller Luigi Bastardo magnolia5867 Mallory Mark Buckingham Mat Brewster Matthew St.Clair Maxance Vincent melvinafite merrillmarlar Michelle Prather mikey20182 milesa39742 nancy Odetocode78910 pipervogel58 r_m_mnz rajee readyplayer1 rogermdillon ronnyanderton20 Rons Reviews Ronster1 rudycadle2641 Sal-El santov137373440 sarika78 scarlettgvw schaitelh Shakeia Rieux Shawn Bourdo shaykantor996 sophietaul4092 southeasternwa Steve Geise tammielenihan tarenriordan9 test123 tina_ahiakwo Todd Karella Vicky Fogg walkingdisaster WaverBoy Will McKinley wthorn55 zitagowlland8

Recent Comments

• Gordon S. Miller on City of Hope Is the Pick of the Week
• Odetocode78910 on Arcadian Movie Review: Let Nicolas Out of His Cage
• Gordon S. Miller on The Lion in Winter (1968) Blu-ray Review: Cutthroat Politics, Medieval Style
• Ronster1 on Craig Before the Creek DVD Giveaway
• Mat Brewster on Footloose (1984) 4K UHD Review: Rambunctious, Though Mostly Tired

Recent Posts

• Four Disney+ Series Are the Picks of the Week April 29, 2024
• Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg Movie Review: More than the Stones’ Muse April 29, 2024
• TCM Classic Film Festival 2024 Review April 28, 2024
• From the Couch Hole: All My Little Plans and Schemes April 28, 2024
• Book Review: Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga – The Art of Iron Man 2 by John Barber April 27, 2024

Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.

Is As They Made Us Based on a True Story? Where Was It Filmed?

Helmed by actress-director Mayim Bialik (of ‘ The Big Bang Theory ‘ fame) in her directorial debut, ‘As They Made Us’ is a poignant and bittersweet drama movie painted with empathy and compassion. The serene familial film revolves around a divorced single mother and her father, struggling with a terminal condition. While our protagonist tries to cope with disparate aspects of her life, such as family, individuality, existential crisis, and freedom, she roots for another chance at love.

The stellar cast ensemble features industry stalwarts such as Dustin Hoffman , Candice Bergen, Dianna Agron, and Simon Helberg. The events in the film take place in urban and suburban settings, occasionally taking us on a retrospective tour to revisit the characters’ past. You may know how challenging it is to depict a certain period in the movie. However, if you seek to identify the filming locations, and discern if the film has a realistic basis, allow us to probe further.

Is As They Made Us Based on a True Story?

‘As They Made Us’ is partially based on a true story. This is quite evident in the film’s depiction of a dysfunctional family, which is quite a relatable experience for people across the globe. At the same time, in our day and age, mental illnesses are not rare in society, but mental health is a topic that is still primarily stigmatized in public. Mayim Bialik directed the movie from her script, while Jonathan Cohen served as a story editor.

While working on the storyline, Bialik was seemingly inspired by her own family. In a conversation with USA Today, the actress and director revealed , “I grew up in a home with mental illness, and that’s something that went back generations on both sides of my family and no one talked about it.” She continued, “As much as there are aspects of my story in this story, many families have a story of one child who’s more engaged than the other, or a child who’s estranged and the other has to pick up the pieces.” Therefore, she wanted to explore that kind of sibling dynamic in this movie and shine a light on the uncertain path that awaits the sibling who stays.

In another interview in early April 2022, Bialik spoke about working with ‘The Big Bang Theory’ co-actor Simon Helberg, who essays the role of Abigail’s brother, Nathan. In her mind, it was an effortless decision to cast the actor in the role since she was already aware of his superior talents. More importantly, because being long-time friends and castmates, Helberg and Bialik understood each other and their respective family situations. This authentic connection translates beautifully in the former’s portrayal of Nathan.

Cinematically, Bialik’s inspiration ranges from Greta Gerwig (‘ Lady Bird ‘) to Eliza Hittman (‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’). So, she incorporated aspects of her favorite directors into the storyline of this family-oriented drama. When all the ingredients fell in place, the enticing ambiance of the narrative was created. Taking everything into account, the movie is quite realistic and draws inspiration from real life, although the characters remain fictional.

As They Made Us Filming Locations

‘As They Made Us’ was filmed in its entirety in the state of New Jersey, particularly in Bergen County. Principal photography reportedly took place in the summer of 2021. Apart from the enticing eco-geography, the state of New Jersey boasts a massive tax credit incentive package to lure filmmakers and producers to the region.

David Feeney-Mosier, the second unit director of photography of ‘Lady Bird,’ came on board to serve as the cinematographer for this movie. On the other hand, acclaimed production designer Jourdan Henderson – whose art direction of ‘ Manchester by the Sea ‘ and ‘ Fatherhood ‘ garnered critical attention – came on board for this Mayim Bialik directorial. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed!

Bergen County, New Jersey

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴊᴇssᴇ ᴋᴏʀᴍᴀɴ (@jessekorman)

Most of the filming took place in and around Bergen County, the most populous county of New Jersey, located at its northeastern corner. The filming process helped enrich several local businesses as well. While filming in the area, director Bialik satisfied her appetite by sampling the state’s exquisite cuisine. She visited the legendary Kosher Nosh Deli Restaurant & Catering, a kosher restaurant located at 894 Prospect Street, in the suburban community of Glen Rock, in Bergen County. Therefore, it is possible that a few sequences were lensed in the area.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by mayim bialik (@missmayim)

Bialik also visited Dana’s Bakery, which is known for its eccentric twists on traditional French cuisine. Located at 69 Wesley Street, in the Gansevoort Market area of South Hackensack, the bakery is famous for its specialty – macarons. The cast and crew members shared several behind the scene photos on their social media profiles.

Read More: Best Movies About Mental Illness

SPONSORED LINKS

• Movie Explainers
• TV Explainers
• About The Cinemaholic

As They Made Us

Streaming in:

We checked for updates on 246 streaming services on April 29, 2024 at 3:21:17 PM. Something wrong? Let us know!

As They Made Us streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "As They Made Us" streaming on fuboTV, Paramount+ with Showtime, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Showtime Roku Premium Channel, Hoopla, Showtime, Showtime Apple TV Channel. It is also possible to buy "As They Made Us" on Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Apple TV as download or rent it on Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Apple TV, Spectrum On Demand online.

Where does As They Made Us rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 1:18:06 PM, 04/29/2024

As They Made Us is 5684 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 2562 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Love and Death but less popular than Tower. A Bright Day..

Abigail, a divorced mother of two, is struggling to balance the dynamics within her dysfunctional family as she attempts to cultivate new love.

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Production country

People who liked as they made us also liked.

Popular movies coming soon

Upcoming Comedy movies

Similar Movies you can watch for free

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Pop Culture Happy Hour

• Performing Arts

Pop Culture

You know it when you see it: here are some movies that got sex scenes right.

Linda Holmes

It is a happy coincidence that our "What makes a good sex scene?" episode came out in the same week as Challengers, a film about a romance triangle in the tennis world starring Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and (not pictured) Mike Faist. Niko Tavernise/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures hide caption

It is a happy coincidence that our "What makes a good sex scene?" episode came out in the same week as Challengers, a film about a romance triangle in the tennis world starring Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and (not pictured) Mike Faist.

What makes a good sex scene? It can be easier spot bad sex, but Aisha Harris, Christina Tucker, Ronald Young, Jr. and I tried to focus on the good this week on Pop Culture Happy Hour. You can listen to our full conversation here. (We didn't originally plan for this episode to run the same week as our episode about Challengers , which is out in theaters now, but it's a happy coincidence, since that film has gotten a lot of attention — probably too much, relative to its other merits — for the sex scenes involving its three leads. It's really very good .)

Movie Reviews

Watch a tense romantic triangle play out on the tennis court in 'challengers'.

It's often very obvious when a sex scene is bad, just like when a sex scene in a book is bad. It can get so uncomfortable to watch that you have to leave the room (and not in a way that feels true to the story). One of my personal tells for a bad sex scene is when all I can think about is how hard the actors are trying to persuade me that the characters are having a good time. For example, there has been much good discussion in recent years about Showgirls being a more interesting and competent project than it originally got credit for, but in that one pool scene (if you know it, you know it), all I can see is the effort.

Lauren Bacall And The 'Sex? What Sex?' Kind Of Movie Sex

It's not always as clear which scenes are good . That's partly because they serve so many different functions, all of which look different, and all of which can be effective. Furthermore, you don't want to confuse whether a sex scene is used well in a film with whether it's hot to you personally, despite the fact that there is overlap between those considerations.

In the 'Last Dance,' Magic Mike leaves his thong-and-dance routine behind

Here's what I mean: When Aisha talks about the sequence near the beginning of Magic Mike's Last Dance , it's not irrelevant that the scene is, to her (and to me), hot. But it also makes sense in the context of the film and the franchise, partly because of the way it sets up the power dynamic between Mike (Channing Tatum) and Max (Salma Hayek Pinault). Mike is older now, he knows more, and the way he approaches a lap dance is actually different than in earlier movies.

And not all good sex scenes are hot in the same ways. The one I mentioned in the episode, from the romantic drama Love & Basketball , is sexy, yes. But it's also a scene between young adults (the talented basketball players Monica and Quincy, played by Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps), and as such, it incorporates a tentativeness that's not present in Magic Mike's Last Dance , to say the least. As Ronald pointed out during our discussion, that sex scene is quite different from one that takes place later in Monica and Quincy's relationship, when they're older and know each other better. That certainly feels true to real life, but it's not always reflected in Hollywood films, where I would tentatively estimate that 90% of on-screen sex is more idealized and thus less intimate than real-life sex, in part because it isn't allowed to change over the course of a relationship.

Movie Interviews

'like it or not, we live in oppenheimer's world,' says director christopher nolan.

Even further from the hotness of the lap dance scene is Ronald's pick: the imagination of Kitty Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt) running wild in Oppenheimer. While her husband (Cillian Murphy) is being interrogated, she pictures him having sex with his mistress, Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh). It goes by quickly enough that it might seem like a Christopher Nolan flourish for flourish's sake, but it serves the purpose of letting you feel her pain over her husband's affair. Her relationship with Robert doesn't look especially romantic in the film, let alone sexually charged; she finds herself consumed by the idea that he was having hot sex with this other woman, and she locks eyes with her vision of a naked Tatlock and finds herself tormented. It's not really the intent of the scene to titillate the audience, just to give specificity to the shape of Kitty's preoccupation with the affair.

What makes a good sex scene?

Christina raised another really important point, which is that sex scenes also collide with viewers at very specific moments. Her example from Bound , and the scenes between Violet (Jennifer Tilly) and Corky (Gina Gershon), touches on (among other things) her own history. It's an underappreciated aspect of the sex-in-movies discourse: representation matters in these scenes as much as anywhere else. I always wish I saw more sex scenes in movies that featured a broader variety of body types; it's still really rare to see ones that feature anybody who is even average sized. This is one of the reasons I'm curious about the upcoming season of Bridgerton , which places its focus on the gorgeous and curvaceous Penelope (Nicola Coughlan).

Looking for 'nomance': Study finds teens want less sex in their TV and movies

Good sex scenes are like any other kind of good filmmaking, honestly: it comes down to execution with purpose and care, done relative to whatever the function of the scene might be.

Whether that's spiciness or conflict or relationship growth or (as in the case of Bound ) setting up a steamy neo-noir story that wouldn't be the same if it weren't hot as heck, form follows function, ideally.

This piece also appeared in NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss the next one, plus get weekly recommendations about what's making us happy.

Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and Spotify .

Routine heist movie 'Cash Out' relies on Travolta's sturdy star power

At 70, the screen stalwart charms as reformed thief with a goofball brother and an inscrutable ex..

Mason (John Travolta) wants out of the robbery racket after an attempted car theft goes awry.

Saban Films

We’re nearly 50 years out from John Travolta’s meteoric rise to from sitcom player to movie stardom with “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease” and “Urban Cowboy” in the 1970s, and just a week ago we saw Travolta reuniting with Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman and other cast members to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “Pulp Fiction,” and while Travolta may never again reach the heights of those eras, he keeps on working and remains a compelling screen presence.

At 70, Travolta still exudes a certain movie-star twinkle in the heist thriller “Cash Out,” which plays like a solid, B-movie riff on “The Thomas Crown Affair,” with Travolta and Kristin Davis (“Sex and the City”) turning in fine work playing lovers who are on opposite sides of the law — or are they?

No need to oversell what we have here. With a zippy if at times preposterous script from Dipo Oseni and Doug Richardson that might not totally hold up under scrutiny, “Cash Out” has a certain undeniable style, as personified by the use of Frank Sinatra’s “You Go to My Head” over the opening credits. (As the Los Angeles Times has reported, the director credited as “Ives” is in fact Randall Emmett of “Vanderpump Rules” semi-fame, who was the subject of an L.A. Times investigation in 2022 and a Hulu documentary that examined allegations of abuse and mistreatment. Emmett has denied the allegations.)

In what amounts to a prologue, Travolta’s Mason Goddard and Davis’ Amelia Deckard pose as a husband and wife who along with Mason’s regular crew pull off a daring heist of a $20 million sports car. All goes according to plan — until it’s revealed Amelia is actually undercover with the FBI. Mason and his gang barely escape, and Mason says that’s it, he’s out of the game for good and ready to enjoy a few beers and a quiet retirement.

That all changes when Mason’s idiot younger brother Shawn (played by 48-year-old Lukas Haas, so I guess Shawn is Mason’s MUCH younger brother) comes up with an ill-conceived plan to rob a bank — a plan that seems destined to result in the capture or deaths of Shawn and the rest of the crew, which includes the amiable Anton (played by the rapper Quavo), the hot-headed Hector (Noel Gugliemi) and the obligatory computer hacker, known as Link (played by Natali Yura, who gives off major Aubrey Plaza vibes).

Mason arrives on the scene just a little too late to put a stop to Shawn’s scheme, as the crew has taken hostages while Shawn is forcing the smarmy bank manager, Georgios (Swen Temmel), to open the vault so he can access a very specific Safe Deposit Box containing … well, you know, containing one of those Incredibly Valuable MacGuffins that will fetch tens of millions for Shawn and the crew.

Amelia (Kristin Davis), the negotiator trying to resolve a bank robbery by Mason’s crew, happens to be his former lover.

Turns out Shawn has picked the wrong person to rob, which results in the feds swarming on the scene, with none other than Amelia as the lead negotiator, which is going to be kind of awkward, given Mason and Amelia still clearly have feelings for one another. We settle in for a standard-issue heist movie, with graphics chronicling the passing hours, and a number of complications ensuing.

“Cash Out” is at its best when Travolta’s Mason is puzzling out the latest developments and trying to figure out a way to keep himself, his goofball brother, and his beloved crew from being arrested or worse. The man who gave us Tony Manero, Danny Zuko, Vincent Vega and Chili Palmer still has some star power left in the tank.

‘Unsung Hero’: God Himself Can’t Save This Uninspiring Faith-Based Drama

SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

Christian musician Joel Smallbone co-directed this biopic about his own hardscrabble family, who worshiped their way to wealth.

Jesse Hassenger

“I know what I believe,” says Rebecca Smallbone (Kirrilee Berger), a teenager defending her ability to write and sing pop songs, about halfway through the biopic Unsung Hero .

The audience has to more or less take her word for it, because while she will eventually become the Christian pop star Rebecca St. James, Unsung Hero doesn’t focus enough on Rebecca to give anyone a sense of her thoughts or feelings on much of anything. We’re left to assume that she simply shares most of her beliefs with the true subjects of the film: her parents, David and Helen. In the tradition of King Richard , where Will Smith played the cantankerous, determined, high-standards father of Venus and Serena Williams, the next step in biopic evolution apparently involves paying tribute to the parents who figure so prominently in certain success stories. This seems like a particularly appealing tactic for a faith-based movie like Unsung Hero . Call it Fifth Commandment Cinema.

Unsung Hero is Fifth Commandment Cinema without the benefit of Will Smith-level charisma to make the stubbornness and screw-ups go down easier. What it lacks in star power, it makes up for in astonishing levels of faux-piety and false modesty: Joel Smallbone, of the Christian musical act For King & Country, co-writes and co-directs a biopic starring himself, playing his dad David. As the movie tells it, David follows his dream as a Christian music promoter and, after taking a bath on an early-'90s Amy Grant tour (blamed vaguely on “the economy”), uproots the family and moves them to the United States to start a new record label with another artist. When they arrive, David learns that the deal has fallen through. Now the family is stranded in Nashville with a six-month visa, no jobs, and plenty of pressure to head back to Australia. David doesn’t want to give up, but he’s also not sure what to do next.

This may be why Smallbone plays his father with a constant expression of stricken nerves; with every new turn of fate, even some strokes of objectively fantastic luck, David looks as if he’s just learned that he was swindled out of his life savings. Facing a barrage of anti-Australian discrimination due to the family’s six children (with a seventh on the way) and alienating use of the word “knackered,” the Smallbone family—following a cross-country train trip so lengthy that Helen (Daisy Betts) appears to become several months more pregnant by the end of it—makes a go of it without a cushy music-industry job.

Relying on their faith and worth ethic, which is to say home-schooling and child labor, the family starts a lawn-care business to make ends meet. They also receive help from wealthy local couple Jed (Lucas Black) and Kay ( Candace Cameron Bure , also an executive producer). Various behind-the-counter wage workers may be framed as vaguely forbidding and judgmental, but the Smallbones can count on the gracious charity of the rich for a leg up.

To be fair, David eventually bristles at this help, because he bristles at nearly everything. Thankfully, Helen’s ability to read almost anything as a manifestation of God’s blessings more than compensates for David’s sad-sack weaknesses. (“It’s a miracle—it’s like some kind of sign we’re supposed to be here,” she exclaims about a note from her mother that, when inspected by customs officials, unexpectedly helps them get into the U.S. despite their intention to overstay their visa.) Through the family’s perseverance, their prosperity gospel comes true.

If you’re looking for insight into what fuels the music of Rebecca St. James or For King & Country, Unsung Hero seems to find any detailed depiction of artistry or creativity untoward. There is God-given talent, there is the faith to pursue it, and there’s a very long roll call of the family’s successes appended to the end of this slender quasi-inspirational story. It’s hard to glean much inspiration, for that matter, when the movie’s hardships start to feel a bit like poverty cosplay. While David’s parents’ financial standings aren’t specified, they seem plenty comfortable, and the movie never supplies a particularly strong reason that the family must stay in the U.S. after David’s job offer falls apart.

Doubtless there is some interesting combination of craft, grit, and calculation that goes into making mass-appeal Christian pop, and members of the real Smallbone family could probably speak to that. But the ones who made this movie have demurred in favor of honoring their father and mother. Here, it's hard to shake the feeling that it’s the feel-good inspo they’re after, not the songs.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

READ THIS LIST

• Cast & crew

Inside Out 2

Follow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions. Follow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions. Follow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions.

• Kelsey Mann
• Dave Holstein
• Meg LeFauve
• Amy Poehler
• Phyllis Smith
• Lewis Black

• Embarrassment

• Riley Andersen

• Mrs. Andersen

• Mr. Andersen

• Valentina 'Val' Ortiz

• Coach Roberts

• Subconscious Guard Frank

• Subconscious Guard Dave

• Forgetter Bobby

• Forgetter Paula
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The first trailer received 157 million online views within the first 24 hours, more than any other Disney animated film, surpassing Frozen II (2019) , with 116 million views.

Riley Anderson : [from the trailer] I'M THE WORST!

Mom's Anger : Welp, there's a preview of the next ten years.

• Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: The D23 Expo 2022 Special (2022)
• When will Inside Out 2 be released? Powered by Alexa
• June 14, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Instagram - Disney's Announcement
• Instagram - Pixar's Announcement
• Những Mảnh Ghép Cảm Xúc 2
• Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA (Studio)
• Pixar Animation Studios
• Walt Disney Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 40 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• D-Cinema 96kHz Dolby Surround 7.1
• D-Cinema 96kHz 7.1

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

CinemaBlend

30 Sequels We Wish Were Never Made

Posted: April 28, 2024 | Last updated: April 28, 2024

These were a bad idea.

Sequels can be great. One of the greatest movies of all time, The Godfather Part II, is a sequel. Marvel has built a universe on great sequels. Often though, sequels are a huge mistake. While we don't judge the legacy of a film by its sequels, sometimes we really wish those sequels had never been made.

Caddyshack II

The king of all bad sequel ideas has to be Caddyshack II . There is little redeeming this hacky, half-hearted attempt to follow up one of the funniest, most quotable, and most revered comedies of all time. Virtually none of the original cast returned (smart move), save for Chevy Chase, who is clearly here to cash a large check and shows up in just a couple of scenes. Dan Aykroyd's voice is...bizarre.

Speed 2: Cruise Control

1994's Speed was the surprise hit of the summer and it turned its two stars, Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, into superstars. It's only natural that the studio would dip back into that well. What they came up with, though, Speed 2: Cruise Control, was as bad as the title.

Return To The Blue Lagoon

The original The Blue Lagoon was one of the most critically panned movies of 1980, but it was a huge hit with audiences. 1991's Return To The Blue Lagoon was even more hated by critics, and, unlike the first film, audiences hated it too, as it bombed at the box office. At least the first one has a little charm.

Staying Alive

The 1970s are almost completely defined by Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack alone is one of the biggest cultural touchstones of all time. Then there is Staying Alive , the sequel released in the early '80s. Instead of the Bee Gees, audiences get Frank Stallone singing the big song from the movie. The movie is, frankly , unwatchable.

The Next Karate Kid

The Next Karate Kid did give us one thing, Hillary Swank's breakout role. That's all, though. It's a classic example of going to the well too many times. Even by the time The Karate Kid III hit theaters, the franchise was getting stale, by going for a fourth film, it got buried for decades.

The Blues Brothers 2000

The Blues Brothers 2000 is another example of a sequel to a beloved classic that nobody asked for. Released 18 years after the original, The Blues Brothers 2000 has some great music, but it lacks all the charm, and all the laughs, that the original Blues Brothers had, not to mention lacking the late John Belushi.

The Whole Ten Yards

Unlike The Whole Nine Yards, which was fun and quirky, its sequel The Whole Ten Yards is a mess. It feels like everyone in the movie is just there to make a little money and it is completely devoid of all the charm that made the first one a success.

Major League II

Somehow, Major League II made enough money to warrant a third movie in the series, but how that happened is anyone's guess. The sequel to Major League is one of the laziest strikeouts of all time. It's filled with recycled jokes and phoned-in performances.

Highlander II: The Quickening

There are few more loved cult classics from the 1980s than The Highlander . It set up a whole world on which to build a franchise, and it has. Somehow that franchise has succeeded despite the terrible second act, Highlander II: The Quickening. Even in a series where critics regularly pan the films, this one stands out for how bad it is. There should be only one.

Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction

1992's Basic Instinct was a hit basically for one reason, the infamous scene with Sharon Stone's character being interrogated by half of the San Francisco police force. That was enough, it seems, to not only make the movie a hit but to get a sequel made 14 years later. Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction shifts to London, but everything else is just a trope-y mess.

Batman & Robin

It's almost a cliche to dog on Batman & Robin , the fourth of the '90s Batman series that started with Tim Burton's Batman . George Clooney, who plays the Caped Crusader has lambasted it, and the writer even apologized for the quality years later. It's ill-conceived at every level.

Revenge Of The Nerds III: The Next Generation

Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise was a bad idea, but at least it had some funny moments. Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation , on the other hand, is just terrible. This made-for-TV disaster is dull and humorless. Many of the original actors smartly turned down the "opportunity" to re-appear in the franchise, so it's a bare-bones cast that can't do much with the material.

The King's Man

It's hard to know what Matthew Vaughn was thinking with The King's Man. The first two movies in the series were so great, and then there was this. The tone is different, and the comedy is...less obvious, and rarely funny. This is a series that really deserves better because it could be fantastic with the world-building setup in the first two.

The Bad News Bears Go To Japan

Nothing has ever lived up to the original Bad News Bears starring Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neill. There have been a bunch of attempts to recreate the magic, including multiple movies and a short-lived TV show. While some of those attempts worked a little, The Bad News Bears Go to Japan doesn't work at all.

Even director David Fincher understands that Alien 3 is a hot mess. It's easily the worst of the entire Alien franchise, and it's no surprise, given how troubled the production was. Thankfully, Fincher didn't quit Hollywood over it, because then we wouldn't have all the great movies the director has made since.

What made My Girl so great was the heaviness of it. Anna Chlumsky's character, Vada, really gets put through the ringer and the performances are amazing. My Girl 2, on the other hand, doesn't have nearly the weight, or the charm for that matter, of the first movie. It's largely forgettable, despite how sentimental some people might be for it, while the first one stuck with audiences forever.

Teen Wolf Too

It's alway dubious when a sequel is made without it's biggest star. Micheal J. Fox was at the height of his popularity in the mid-'80s when he made Teen Wolf. Smartly, he declined to participate in the sequel, so that forced a new story to be wedged in, starring Jason Bateman as a new wolf, and Teen Wolf Too just doesn't work as a result.

The Godfather Part III

The Godfather Part III is a polarizing film. Some love how it fits into the overall sage of Michael Corleone; others hate it. The first two Godfather movies are as close to perfect as cinema can be, but with this third installment, some of that mystique is lost.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer recycles so many of the tropes that people hate about horror movie sequels that it's easy to ignore. While the original I Know What You Did Last Summer was a surprise hit despite the critics' lukewarm response, this sequel was unpopular with everyone, critics and fans alike.

Son Of The Mask

Son Of The Mask is a bad movie. While almost everyone could have told those responsible for it that releasing a sequel to a movie that is beloved for Jim Carrey's performance, without Carrey, would be a bad idea, someone still decided to do it. This is what they get, a critical and box office disaster. On the plus side, it meant no more Mask movies without Carrey (or at all).

American Psycho 2

Would American Psycho 2 be as bad if it was compared to the original? Well, yeah, probably, but it didn't have to be compared. The original script had no connection to American Psycho , but the producers decided, for some reason, to retcon into a sequel. Mila Kunis, the star of the movie, doesn't like it, nor does Bret Easton Ellis, who wrote the novel American Psycho was based on, and neither should you.

The Sting II

Who's idea was it to take a movie as loved as The Sting and make a sequel that doesn't have any of the stars from the original? The Sting II is just that. Gone are Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Robert Shaw, in are Jackie Gleason, Teri Garr, and Oliver Reed (playing Shaw's character). Audiences are the ones getting conned in this one.

Smokey And The Bandit Part 3

Smokey and the Bandit , starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, is one of the most delightful comedies ever made. Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 is not. It's not even close. The problems start with not including Reynolds or Field in the movie (though Reynolds does make a cameo at the end). Without the chemistry between the stars that helped make the first one a classic, this sequel is as flat as a truck full of open Coors bottles.

Independence Day: Resurgence

Independence Day: Resurgence isn't the worst sequel on this list, but that doesn't mean it's a great movie. A film that takes decades to get made, as this reportedly did, is usually a disappointment, and this was, both financially and critically. Even director Roland Emmerich admits he shouldn't have made it.

Cruel Intentions 2

Cruel Intentions 2 was an attempt to salvage what was already a mistake. Originally it was conceived as a TV show prequel to the legendary teen classic starring Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar, the only two episodes filmed were combined and released with some racey not-safe-for-TV scenes added on DVD. The results are as poor as you'd expect.

Pacific Rim Uprising

Producing a follow-up to 2013's Pacific Rim was a no-brainer. The result is Pacific Rim Uprising. It's really not that bad of a movie, but losing a visionary director like Guillermo del Toro is sure to make the movie less innovative. There should be a real future for this franchise, but it needs to get back on track with the originality of the first film.

Wonder Woman 1984

Everything should work in Wonder Woman 1984 . As a stand-alone film, it's okay, but when compared to the first Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot, it leaves a whole lot to be desired. Are there worse movies on this list? Yes, but this sequel was still a victim of its predecessor's success and as such, is a disappointment. Reviews were good when it was released, but it's not held up as well as the original.

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

The Boondock Saints is a classic example of a movie that succeeded on the strength of its fans, spreading mostly through word-of-mouth. Inevitably, that success led to The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day , which is too bad, because that's a sequel that could have been so much better than it is. As it is, it's better to just think of the original as a stand-alone film.

Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2

Sometimes it's best to just let things lie. When you have a surprising phenomenon, like The Blair Witch Project , you don't have to try to milk for it for more. No one paid any attention to that advice in 2000, when Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 was released. No one could ever reproduce the success of the original, and this sequel proves it.

Zoolander 2

Yet another sequel to a beloved comedy that no one really needed. Despite all the major cast members returning from the original, Zoolander 2 falls as flat as Derek Zoolander's personality. It doesn't have the laughs or the appeal of the first, and while it doesn't diminish the original, it does diminish the character a little.

More for You

Megan Fox Signs With UTA

Putin humiliated after showing off captured US tank and British armoured cars

15 Long-Lost Movies That Were Plucked from Obscurity

10 Cars Baby Boomers Should Avoid Buying

19 Things People Treat As Safe That Actually Are Pretty Dangerous

Archaeologists discover lost home of Rome's first emperor

Hertz is ditching EVs after losing $195 million from Teslas

29 common human foods you may not realize are poisonous to your dog

8 Netflix shows with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score you need to watch

A woman said her tattoos got her rejected for a job, but experts say personality is far more important

NBA playoffs 2024: Dawn Staley, Allen Iverson lead celebrity sightings

Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' debuts No. 1 on Billboard, hits largest streaming week ever

These Ford Models Won't Be Coming Back After 2024

Zendaya tennis movie ‘Challengers’ scores at weekend box office

Poland Issues Grim Prediction for Russia if It Attacks

Frescoes buried by volcano uncovered in ancient dining room in Pompeii

19 Things That Will Happen When You Stop Drinking Alcohol

Scientists claim people with this blood type more likely to have early stroke

Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now

5 Things You Need To Stop Doing If Your Car Has An Automatic Transmission