Eulogy

Kate is the reluctant executor of mourning who must craft a meaningful eulogy while untangling a web of hidden family histories. She navigates the crowd of judgmental relatives and rekindles a complicated connection with Ryan. Her choices reveal a longing for honesty and balance amid chaos.

The family patriarch whose past decisions ripple through the present. His will reveals three separate families, reframing the funeral as a reckoning with legacy. Though dead, his secrets drive the plot and shape how others treat one another.

The widowed mother/grandmother who anchors the family’s outward composure while battling inner turmoil. She attempts suicide during the tense gathering and ends up wheelchair-bound, complicating everyone’s plans and responsibilities. Her fragility exposes the fragility of family ties.

Kate’s father, an aging actor whose career peaked early in a peanut butter commercial. He carries the weight of faded fame and the stress of a family that continually tests his patience. His sense of self is tied to a past he can’t fully let go.

The boisterous uncle who embodies masculine bravado and relentless energy, often masking insecurity and stress about his life and parenting of twins. He stokes tension with blunt remarks and unpredictable reactions. His presence magnifies the room’s volatility.

One of the hormonally charged twins whose behavior highlights teenage and family tension. His actions push the family toward confrontations and push Kate toward making difficult decisions.

The other twin whose quieter demeanor contrasts with his brother’s energy, underscoring the family’s anxiety and the gravity of the moment. He often serves as a mirror for the adults’ miscommunications.

Aunt Lucy is open-minded and supportive of her girlfriend Judy, but she is still a target of the family’s criticisms and judgments. Her relationship adds a layer of modern complexity to the clan’s dynamics.

Lucy’s girlfriend who embodies affection and a sense of normalizing love in the face of family scrutiny. Her relationship with Lucy is central to debates about acceptance.

The bossy, intimidating aunt whose constant talking dominates conversations and provokes reactions from others. Her controlling nature isolates her husband and fuels family conflicts.

A nurse and old friend of Alice who becomes involved with Alice’s private life in a car encounter, underscoring the film’s blunt portrayal of adult relationships. Her hospital visits intersect with family drama in provocative ways.

Kate’s former lover whose reappearance rekindles a fragile romance as Kate weighs past emotions against present responsibilities. Their relationship weathers the family storm but remains uncertain.