Overview
A poignant blend of humor and heart as a son navigates the complexities of family and loss.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- witty
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's smart, subtle treatment of family dynamics and its finely calibrated blend of funny and serious moments.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
David's comic sensibility and family interactions repeatedly offset the seriousness of Joanne's terminal cancer.
David comes back to Sacramento after a breakup and must care for his dying mother while his own life is unraveling.
The Mulcaheys express love, resentment, embarrassment, and loyalty through tense domestic encounters rather than polished reconciliation.
David's sexuality and relationships are integrated into the family drama, while Gabe and his flamboyant younger brother add further LGBTQ-related texture.
Films like Other People, and why
The Farewell
shares intimate family drama, terminal illness, understated humor, and emotional realism
The Skeleton Twins
shares bittersweet comedy drama, adult family tensions, and a protagonist struggling with personal dislocation
The Savages
shares melancholic family dysfunction, sibling intimacy, and finely balanced humor and grief
The Kids Are All Right
shares queer identity, family relationships, and witty but emotionally vulnerable character drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Kelly
- Release Date
- 2016-09-09
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (228)
Cast
- Jesse Plemons
- Molly Shannon
- Bradley Whitford
- Maude Apatow
- Madisen Beaty
- John Early
- Zach Woods
- Josie Totah
- June Squibb
- Paul Dooley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Other People about?
- A struggling comedy writer returns home to face his mother’s terminal illness, his fractured family, and the collapse of his own carefully postponed adulthood.
- What is Other People like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Other People as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Other People violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Other People.
- What did critics think of Other People?
- Critics broadly praised the film's smart, subtle treatment of family dynamics and its finely calibrated blend of funny and serious moments.
- Which films are like Other People?
- Films with a similar feel include The Farewell, The Skeleton Twins, The Savages, and The Kids Are All Right.
- How long is Other People?
- Other People runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Other People?
- In United States, Other People streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
