If you’re a first-time writer-director, you could do a lot worse than have a cast featuring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Blythe Danner, and Robert Forster. But for filmmaker Elizabeth Chomko, that’s exactly who she was able to get for her debut film, “What They Had.” And to the surprise of no one, the cast is clearly elevating the already good work from Chomko.
In the new trailer for the film, we follow a woman who has to go back to her hometown to deal with her ailing mother, her devoted father, and her angsty brother. Sure, the setup sounds familiar, but with the cast mentioned above, the film feels new and interesting. It’s clear that Chomko hit it out of the park with this cast, as Swank and Shannon are particularly great in the footage shown. And as with these types of family dramas, the relationship at the center of the film helps our main character (Swank) realize the deficiencies in her own marriage of 20 years.
“What They Had” premiered earlier this year at Sundance and has some pretty great reviews. Coming out of the festival, critics were praising the cast and the addition of a little humor that helps propel the story into something more than your typical family drama.
“What They Had” hits select theaters, courtesy of Bleecker Street, on October 12.
Here’s the official synopsis:
From first-time writer/director Elizabeth Chomko, WHAT THEY HAD centers on a family in crisis. Bridget (Hilary Swank) returns home to Chicago at her brother’s (Michael Shannon) urging to deal with her ailing mother (Blythe Danner) and her father’s (Robert Forster) reluctance to let go of their life together.