Cinema Verite

Cinema Verite was an HBO dramatization of the making of the groundbreaking PBS documentary An American Family. Called the first reality show the series starred the Loud Family. Pat Loud is the main character. She and her husband have five children the oldest of which is Lance. As the series progressed the couple moved toward a divorce as Pat grew frustrated with her husbands being away on business and the evidence that he was not behaving when he was away.

In the HBO dramatization the cast is stellar. Pat and Tim Loud are played by Diane Lane and Tim Robbins. Diane Lane continues to show what a great actress she is. James Gandolfini plays Craig Gilbert the director and producer, the man whose idea the series was. It was interesting to see him sell the idea to Pat Loud, advising her that documentaries had been done on apes in the wild and he felt that a true documentary on the life of an American family was due.

Did Craig Gilbert and Pat Loud have an affair. An assumption could be made, the HBO version leaves one wondering but does show them going up to Craig's hotel room. in the series the couple's obviously gay son is shown as he is. He does not attempt to hide it and neither do the cameras. In the early 1970's this was a big risk.

As the movie ends we learn that Lance, who clearly had a strained relationship with his father, as a dieing wish in 2001 wished his parents to get back together. We are told at the end of the movie that they are still living together to this day.

A good movie. Great acting but the story was told in what I would call a quiet way. Still worth watching.