Boundaries

Laura (Vera Farmiga) is a single mother who lives in Seattle with her fourteen-year-old son, Henry (Lewis MacDougall). Although she loves her son deeply, she struggles to set healthy boundaries with him, often giving in to his bad behavior and enabling him to continue making poor choices.

Things come to a head when Laura's father, Jack (Christopher Plummer), is kicked out of his retirement home for selling weed to the other residents. With nowhere else to go, Jack contacts Laura for help, and she reluctantly agrees to let him stay with them for a few days, despite their strained relationship.

As Laura and Henry embark on a road trip to take Jack to live with Laura's sister in Los Angeles, they're forced to confront their dysfunctional family dynamic and learn to set and uphold healthy boundaries with each other. Along the way, they pick up some unexpected passengers, including a couple of hitchhiking "boundaries" counsellors and a slew of rescue animals that Jack has stolen from a veterinary clinic.

Despite its comedic moments and lighthearted tone, Boundaries delves into some emotionally weighty topics, including addiction, abandonment, and forgiveness. As Laura reconnects with her estranged father and Henry learns to stand up for himself, they each begin to heal from the wounds of their past.

Vera Farmiga gives a compelling performance as Laura, portraying the character's vulnerability, strength, and conflicted emotions with authenticity and nuance. Christopher Plummer is equally impressive as Jack, imbuing the character with an irrepressible spirit and dry wit that belies his troubled past. And Lewis MacDougall shines as Henry, capturing the teenager's palpable sense of frustration and longing for connection.

Director Shana Feste's decision to pepper the film with cameos from a diverse cast of performers, including Kristen Schaal, Bobby Cannavale, and Peter Fonda, adds a fun, unexpected element to the story.

Overall, Boundaries is an engaging, heartfelt family drama that explores the complexities of relationships and the power of forgiveness. With strong performances from its talented cast, it's sure to resonate with audiences of all ages.