Round Top Film Festival 2026
There is something rather amusing about Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick making a movie with their two grown children, Sosie and Travis, about a family that makes movies together. And if that sounds like a fun little family project, well, it is. But it’s also a whole lot stranger than you might expect.
In Family Movie, the Bacons play the Smiths, a family in the business of making low-budget horror movies. Their films haven’t exactly been successful, but Dad is determined to keep at it. The kids aren’t quite as enthusiastic, and Mom has her own way of dealing with things. Then a real dead body turns up on the set of their latest production, and what was already a rather odd family enterprise goes completely off the rails.
I enjoyed this one. It’s campy, funny, weird, and takes some turns I certainly didn’t see coming. The premise actually works, in a strange sort of way, but as the story digs deeper into its own peculiar world, things go pretty far south. Some of the developments are so far-fetched that even a willingness to embrace the absurd doesn’t quite cover them. Still, I was curious to see what on earth would happen next.
What makes it particularly entertaining is watching the Bacon family play characters who seem to be exaggerated versions of themselves. Or at least what we might imagine they’re like. There’s a natural familiarity between them that works beautifully, especially when things start getting bizarre. And they certainly aren’t afraid to make fools of themselves.
I’ve loved Kyra Sedgwick since her days on The Closer, and she’s absolutely adorable here. She has such a wonderful presence, and watching her navigate the increasingly outrageous circumstances was one of my favorite parts of the movie. Bacon is clearly having a good time, too, and Sosie and Travis hold their own alongside their famous parents. It’s fun watching this family work together, particularly when the fictional family they’re playing is coming apart at the seams.
The film doesn’t always make a lot of sense, and frankly, I don’t think it’s supposed to. I didn’t mind the silliness, but there comes a point when the oddball storyline gets a bit carried away. I found myself shaking my head at some of the choices, although I can’t say I was ever bored.
Family Movie isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. You have to appreciate a little absurdity and be willing to go along with some pretty wild developments. I did, for the most part, and I had a good time. It’s a strange family affair, all right, but an entertaining one.