We're taking better care of the old man than he did of us.

In this remarkable film, two siblings, short of their goals, come together to take care of their father who suffers from dementia. Wendy (Laura Linney) is an aspiring playwright/temp who’s having an affair with a married guy and keeps applying for fellowships to support her creative endeavors. Her brother, Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), lives in Buffalo and teaches philosophy and is an expert on Bertolt Brecht. For years, he has been tolling away on a book about the dramatist. Instead of making a commitment to his Polish girlfriend of four years, when her visa runs out, he drives her to the airport.

This is another role in which Hoffman can stretch. After his turns as a slimy, conniving brother in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead and as a sarcastic, anti-Bond CIA agent in Charlie Wilson’s War, you could say Hoffman has had quite the year in cinema. I first noticed Linney in the Tales of the City miniseries. She (The Nanny Diaries, Breach) chooses unique, layered roles and has been consistently good through the years. Both actors are from New York and are theatrically trained. Both are super talented in basically un-flashy supporting roles or leading roles in independent films that are rarely seen. As brother and sister, it’s a joy to watch these pros play off each other. The siblings nearly balance each other out: messy Jon has a laissez-faire attitude; neatnik Wendy constantly stresses.

The stellar screenplay is poignant, biting, smart, and honest. Writer/director Tamara Jenkins (The Slums of Beverly Hills) has a deft eye for the nuances of human frailties, shortcomings and she’s got a lot of the details in there: the “happy” decorations at the rehab facility/nursing home, the lucid moments inter-mixed with confusion, a child’s need to ignore reality, and the final acceptance. Some parts were hard for me for two reasons: one, my grandmother had dementia and died in April, and two, I worked at a nursing home, where one week someone would be fine and the next not eating or on oxygen. I appreciate that Jenkins could combine humor with heartfelt moments . There’s a purity and humanity to her outlook. Yes, these are pill-popping, dysfunctional, and in many ways unlikeable adults but many of their choices and their experiences are relatable. The Savages covers thorny subject matter with originality.