Gay Movies TV: Other People

Plot Overview:

Other People begins with David (Jesse Plemons), a young writer who has recently moved to New York City in pursuit of a career in television comedy. He’s successful in his professional life, having landed a job writing for a late-night comedy show. However, David’s personal life is in turmoil: his long-term relationship with his boyfriend, Aaron, has ended recently, leaving him emotionally adrift. David receives the heartbreaking news that his mother, Joanne (Molly Shannon), is nearing the end of her battle with cancer and decides to return to his family home in Sacramento, California, to care for her in her final days.

The film immediately sets up a major conflict: David must navigate the complexities of his own identity, both as a son and as a gay man, in the context of his complicated family dynamic. When David returns, he is confronted with the messiness of his family’s coping mechanisms. His mother, Joanne, is dying, but she has not succumbed to a sense of defeat or hopelessness—at least not outwardly. Instead, she remains sharp, funny, and occasionally stubborn, providing moments of humor throughout the film, even as her illness progresses. The tension between the impending loss of his mother and the unresolved issues in David’s own life becomes the central emotional conflict of the film.

Character Breakdown:

David (Jesse Plemons): David is a 29-year-old comedy writer who initially seems like the "straight-laced" character caught in the web of his family’s chaos. However, as the film progresses, we realize David’s own complexity—his struggles with his sexual identity, his recent breakup with Aaron, and his emotional distance from his family all contribute to his sense of isolation. In New York, David is far from his roots and feels like a failure when it comes to maintaining relationships, both romantic and familial. His return to Sacramento is driven by a sense of duty toward his mother, but it also reveals his internal conflicts: a sense of guilt, fear of being judged, and resentment toward his father.

Throughout the film, David’s personal evolution takes center stage. Initially, he is uncomfortable with the idea of caring for his mother, resenting the loss of his personal freedom. However, as he reconnects with Joanne, he begins to confront his own fears about love, mortality, and family.
Joanne (Molly Shannon): Joanne, David’s mother, is a fierce, vibrant woman who is fighting terminal cancer. She doesn’t fit the typical mold of a sick person: she doesn’t shy away from humor, sarcasm, or brutal honesty. Instead, Joanne navigates her illness with a kind of gallows humor, often using laughter as a tool to deflect the pain and horror of her situation. Joanne is acutely aware of her impending death, but she refuses to succumb to the grief that many people in her situation might feel. Her wit is a reflection of her resilience, but it’s also a mask that covers her vulnerability.

Joanne’s relationship with David is one of the film’s most compelling aspects. She encourages David to live life fully, even as she herself is at the brink of losing hers. She expresses her love for him, though in a way that is sometimes harsh or unfiltered. There is an emotional intimacy between them, despite the fact that both mother and son have often kept parts of themselves hidden. Joanne’s decline forces both of them to confront their deepest emotions, and her character provides the emotional core of the film.

Molly Shannon’s performance is extraordinary. Known primarily for her comedic work on Saturday Night Live, Shannon gives an unforgettable, deeply moving portrayal of a woman facing the end of her life with a mix of humor, vulnerability, and grit. She brings nuance to a character who could easily have been portrayed as one-dimensional in a lesser film.
Norman (Bradley Whitford): Norman, David’s father, is a more traditional, emotionally repressed man. Unlike Joanne, he struggles to express his emotions openly, especially about the death of his wife. His tendency to avoid facing reality—repeatedly trying to distract himself with trivial matters or trying to "hold it all together"—is a key point of conflict in the family. Norman’s inability to connect with his children, particularly David, becomes one of the emotional obstacles David must navigate. At times, Norman appears cold and distant, unable or unwilling to engage with his wife’s illness in a meaningful way. This creates significant friction between father and son, as David feels abandoned and misunderstood by him.

Bradley Whitford’s portrayal of Norman is one of repression and emotional avoidance. His character feels more like a background figure for much of the film, but he comes into sharper focus as the narrative deepens. Norman’s inability to communicate with David or even grieve properly leads to the estranged nature of their relationship, providing a sharp contrast to the raw, unspoken emotional intimacy David shares with his mother.
The Siblings: David has two sisters, Sarah (Maude Apatow) and Andrea (Zoe Perry), who are also involved in caring for Joanne. While their roles are less prominent than David’s, their responses to their mother’s illness add to the thematic richness of the film. Sarah is seemingly in control, but her detachment and emotional coldness, especially towards David, suggests that she’s suppressing her own feelings. Andrea, in contrast, is more emotionally expressive but less directly involved in her mother’s care, choosing to focus on her own life rather than confronting the reality of her mother’s death.

Their relationships with David reflect the differing ways people in families cope with grief. While David feels overwhelmed and powerless, Sarah and Andrea each react in their own way—through avoidance, emotional withdrawal, or denial. Their family dynamic further complicates David’s return, highlighting the emotional distance between him and his siblings, despite their shared situation.

Themes and Symbolism:

Grief and Mortality: At its core, Other People is a film about grief—not just the grief that comes with losing a loved one but also the grief that comes with unresolved personal issues. Joanne’s illness is a constant reminder of life’s fragility, but the film doesn’t rely solely on her decline to explore death; it also focuses on the emotional consequences for the living. David’s struggle to understand his father, his inability to reconcile his past with his present, and his awkwardness in confronting his own grief are all central to the narrative.
Identity and Acceptance: David’s return to Sacramento is not just a physical return to a hometown but also a psychological return to his past self. He left home years ago to escape the confines of his family and to seek acceptance in New York, but in the process, he has abandoned parts of himself. His journey back to Sacramento forces him to confront the parts of himself that he had hidden away: his relationship with his family, his sexual identity, and his struggle with feelings of inadequacy.

David's relationship with his mother represents a certain level of self-acceptance and reconciliation. Joanne, despite her own faults and struggles, serves as a model of authenticity. Even as she faces death, she embraces the rawness of life, teaching David to do the same. This exploration of self-acceptance is one of the most moving parts of the film.
Family Dynamics: Other People takes an honest look at the dysfunction that often accompanies family life. There is no perfect resolution or neat reconciliation between the characters; instead, the film focuses on how people in families navigate complex emotions and the messy nature of love and conflict. The lack of clear communication, especially between David and his father, creates significant tension. Yet, it’s clear that the emotional undercurrents of the family’s dynamics—despite the surface-level conflict—are rooted in love.

Tone and Cinematic Style:

The film blends humor and tragedy seamlessly, balancing the difficult moments with lightheartedness. The way Other People navigates the balance between deep emotional drama and light humor mirrors the coping mechanisms people often use in times of grief. The pacing is slow and contemplative, allowing viewers to sit with the characters and their internal struggles.

Director Chris Kelly uses simple, yet effective, visual techniques to reflect the emotional tone of the story. The use of close-up shots conveys the emotional weight of the moments between family members, while the quiet, suburban settings evoke a sense of intimacy and isolation.

Conclusion:

Other People is a remarkable exploration of family, grief, and the search for self-acceptance. At its heart, the film is about confronting the realities of mortality and the often imperfect ways in which families handle loss. It shows how humor can serve as a defense mechanism against the crushing weight of death, while also emphasizing that real emotional intimacy and understanding can only be achieved by confronting the most painful aspects of life. The film’s emotional depth, combined with its understated humor, creates a nuanced portrayal of the complicated bonds that define our lives.

Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, and Bradley Whitford deliver exceptional performances that elevate the material. The film invites the viewer into a raw, unfiltered portrait of a family at the brink of change, making it a deeply affecting and unforgettable experience.