How to Show Family Dysfunction in Movies - Xavier Dolan 

What other cinematic dysfunctional family should we take a look at? Here is a list of a few of them on our Letterboxd: boxd.it/7zM4k

step one: place hidden cameras in my family home

As someone who has dealt with family like this, the movie "it's only the end of the world" was so agonizing to watch. The whole emotional aura and tension was aching and american directors dont understand the small details. There's the scenes where he visually interacts with his sister in law where he tells her of his pain and the normality of all the emotional trauma just by a look. It's sad.

Considering Dolan is openly gay and considers *I Killed My Mother* semi-biographical, it's no wonder how he can accurately portray the emotions of family dysfunction.

We don't have awkward dinners at my house- we don't even eat at the table. Normally if my mum is angry, she'll storm around the house and give snarky comments when we wash our dishes up. Now that I think about it, I don't even know what a good family dynamic is. We never eat together, or watch movies, or have game nights.

When media shows dysfunctional families, it’s so over the top and even comical and honestly I’ve noticed many writers will have a character in a dysfunctional family for purely dramatic effect or to give the story some kind of conflict

Mommy was such a beatiful, amazing movie. If you're reading this please watch it, you won't regret it.

The observation concerning the "eyes' role" during the character's fights is pretty deep and clever. Makes you want to observe more when it comes to real fights and arguments.

It's hard to watch movies about dysfunctional families. I feel like watching these tense moments creates a lump in my throat and squeezes my heart too tightly, making it hard to breathe. I relate. It hurts. And I wish it didn't, but I know that it's okay. Because it has to be. It's alright.

Another movie that I know that deals with dysfunctional families and the tragedies that are born from them is the German movie ''Das weiße Band'' (''The White Ribbon''). It's about the residents of a fictional village in Northern Germany in 1913. While the families are eager to maintain tidy and neat bourgeois facades, their lives behind closed doors are dominated by castigation, emotional cruelty, neglect, and sexual abuse, which ultimately makes the children commit heinous atrocities against each other. A friend of me showed me the movie almost a decade ago and I still find it truly meaningful and intruiging. I would definitely recommend you to watch it if you haven't yet.

Wait, I never realized you guys were Quebecois! Good work as always fellows!

Conflict, neglect and misbehaviour are constant in these movies. Ive always believed that that's the point of these films. To portray a sense of anxiousness and dissatisfaction with life. There is a tremendous amount of emotional disturbance, particularly in "Mummy". The film's in the video, serves as a mirror and perhaps a representation of our own fears. There's a deep sense of care taken to portray the characters as human, imperfect and not just characture's. The film maker in the video, made these films with care, honesty and openness. That doesn't happen very often. I thoroughly enjoyed the video.

Is it weird that I started tearing up as the video went on? The way u described how Xavier Dolan conveys the broken family dynamic thru his films got me thinking about my own & the dynamic that came with that. Feels as if Dolan's peering thru my soul somehow... Will definitely check out more of his work after this 👀

Xavier Dolan Is my favorite movie director. His movies always hit too close home, especially It's only the end of the world. He has an amazing way of touching on scars both beautifully and raw at the same time ❤️ Great video and great analysis!

I swear Vincent Cassel is in every iconic French film I’ve seen... it’s kind of annoying 😂

Toujours surpris quand j'apprend qu'une chaîne RU-vid que je suis depuis longtemps vient du Québec (même chose pour les Pitch Meetings de ScreenRant)

Why is this being recommended to me when my parents give me silent treatment for weeks and I am having high fever alone in my room in the attic 😖 I am sad, sick, hungry, alone, and my parents don't care, I am glad I still have my younger sister who takes care of me, I just hope that I am getting well soon and be able to escape this house, please pray for me

As a Quebecois, we're so proud of Xavier :'-)

Honestly, my family is not perfect but when we come together during holidays or just for no reason we always have fun. I have never felt any pressure. Once I went on a trip with my friend and her parents and the pressure between the parents was real. during the entire car ride, I wanted to just jump out of the car and stop my suffering and second-hand embarrassment for my friend. She was not even looking at me but her face said it all. My family while not perfect always jokes about the tensions and I believe humor is the key to good relationships.

wait wait wait wait wait did you just said FELLOW quebecois? tabarnak!?

thank you sooo much for showcasing xavier. he's been one of my favorite filmmakers since he actually got me into appreciating and loving film more. i just feel like his way of portraying dysfunction and relationships with family/close friends is unmatched and scarily accurate. he shows the good and the bad but focuses so much on the dialogue, the action, and the body language exchanged by the characters which makes it so emotional

so happy to see some talented fellow québécois in this!!

Hate is thinking that you understand. Love is knowing that you don't.

hm I clicked on this video with such joy for someone who has a horribly dysfunctional family 👏

Basically my family as of now

Mommy is my all-time favorite movie. It’s a masterpiece.

Fun Facts about young Xavier Dolan: As a child Dolan was well know in Quebec for the french-canadian dubs of notable roles like Ron Weasley (Harry Potter), Jacob Black (Twilight) & Stan Marsh (South Park) to name a few. He also did many other minor roles in québecois TV and cinéma. I remember him fondly in "La Forteresse Suspendue" (The Hidden Fortress) & several others when I was young. (0:51 & 1:33) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SnFqNx7-YgY.html Dolan is also the son of Manuel Tadros, another big personality in Québec, who perhaps most famously portrayed Rodrigo Borgia, the antagonist in the Assassin's Creed II & AC: Brotherhood video games. Most surprising to me was finding out he played a small part in Martyrs, arguably one of the most disturbing movie ever. For those in the known, he was the one portraying the son in the infamous breakfast scene at the very beginning. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-L8CXhgrwMq0.html Its been wild and inspiring on a personal level seeing him and Denis Villeneuve suceed on the international scene. Hopefully, we'll be able to experience Dune in theater soon, in all its glory🤞

My first time learning about this director and I'm definitely checking out his movies! As you pointed out, since his works explore a semi autobiographical landscape, his movies seem to be telling his heart rather than his eyes. So not really showing *what* a dysfunctional family is, but *why* and all the nuances that come with this inability to communicate through kinder lenses. I'm also happy that he doesn't seem to aim to try to fix them and produce a happy ending as some other movies tend to do. Real life doesn't work like that and it's a disservice to lifes' complexities to do so. Great work guys!

Growing up in Quebec, Xavier Dolan was always praise for his acting and director. But I never watch his movies always thinking, it was too dramatic. But now seeing snapshots and deep analysis. I really makes me want to see his movies!

Brilliant and heartbreakingly poignant essay you've given us here! Absolutely adore your work!

as always...amazing work. This channel is so good. THE most underrated channel ever

Gorgeous video, there aren't many Xavier Dolan video-essays out there and this was pretty satisfying to watch and hear.

Thank you so much for exploring this genius. He deserves more recognition than he gets.

I'M SO EXCITED thank you for making this!!

Thank you so much for this video. Xavier Dolan is one my favorite directors and his movies get unfairly dismissed as times. It's Only the End of the World is so underrated.

i Just love that this amazing director got recognized. so much can be learned from his direction. ThankU Screened

I don't need to watch movies to see a dysfunctional family. I can just leave my room.

Another excellent video! I watched It’s Only the End of the World and I Killed My Mother recently and they really spoke to my soul. Dolan is a great talent. Will for sure be watching Mommy soon

Wow! Bravo! J'adore! J'ai toujours des frissons en revoyant les films de Xavier!

Gah this is the best channel ever!! Man you always do so good with your videos. Keep it up! :)

Amazing analysis as always!!!

Okay I'm French and I can tell that this man put effort in the pronunciation of the French names, I'm proud !

Xavier Dolan's work is the perfect example for family dysfunction.

Could you guys cover more in depth The Lighthouse by Robert Eggers?

I love how this has helped me understand my family

Thank you for this anaylsis!

wow, la qualité de vos vidéo m'impression à chaque fois, super belle job comme toujours, très intéressant!

Amazing video. An analysis so well done i was paying attention to every word you said.

Both of these are new to me but they sound wonderful. I never realized just how much a Mother, or parents in general , can mess up a son (or daughter) until I had a son. Hell i didn't realize just how much damage my family did until recently. I knew it was dysfunctional but the guilt trips, the shaming, the hypocrisy was so very destructive . I was worried about not being able to lovie a kid cause I was always told what a cold person I was (that's because I wasn't raised around people that showed affection and I never felt like I could open up to them cause I tried at age 12 and was put on medication and made to speak with a preacher at the church. Just because of some existential questions and statements I had made. All I got was..WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SWEET CHILD I RAISED?! That's teenagers for you, you fucks ) to being worried about loving one too much and it imposing on my life. I was always told I was selfish sooo. Hugging people and forcing an "I love you" out is something I pretty much refused to do. Most of the time I didn't love my family well not in the way they wanted me to . But it comes so easy with my son. The hugs the "I love you" Him and I really have a wonderful relationship. And he has always came to me knowing I won't shame or guilt trip. Man the baggage family can saddle a person with is fucked. Heartbreaking

I was hoping you've included the dynamic of Maxime and his mother in his latest film, Matthias & Maxime. Love this video though!

you should a whole essay on Tom at the Farm. It's one of the most perplexed character driven thriller I've ever witnessed on screen. Xavier Dolan is my fav contemporary filmmaker.

This is exactly why I love Xavier Dolan's movies but never tell about it to my friends

So excited to see this! I just saw Dolan's most recent film, Matthias and Maxime, and I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to delve into more of his filmography.

Every video of your is beautifully crafted ❤️

That was a really good video essay!

It's only the end of the world was really nice. the acting was incredible, and I loved the way memories were portrayed.

This was so great. Love Dolan. Oddly, my next vid is also on Dolan's work. And now I've learned how badly I botched his name the entire time!

Très revigorant une chaîne d'analyse fière d'être québécoise. Ça fait chaud au coeur. Bonne continuation!

« Family dysfunction creates dysfunctional expressions of love » reminds me of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye « Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly... »

all these films look so amazing. and painfully relatable. i could almost know what they were saying everytime they were screaming at each other.

Interesting and Inspiring video with Brief comments. Thank you very much. You explain with your own words how Deeper is the Movie "Jusqu'à la fin du monde" with Brief Details of the Characters Psychology. First time I watched it, I didn't understand it. Now I know how Marion Cotillard Character is Simply Awesome with Silence and Eyes Speaking. Speaks to the Soul. Great Character in all. And the others Characters also with Deep Psychology.

My family hasn’t sat down at the table for dinner in years because we all have different political standings and ideas so we’re constantly at odds

Damn this hits home

Cosmic horror!! :O

Thank you 🙏🏽 😊

You guys are Quebecers?? Wow, I really like the tremendous works you guys deliver in each video . D'un fan Québécois!

Incredible video! I love it ❤️

Beautiful explanation and depths of these movies . It's only the end of the world are two good actor that I love see in any movie . I have to see that film tha nks for video

Little miss sunshine is such a good movie. I feel so pressure at the beginning but it started to release bit by bit until the end.

Video essays that are as good as feature films themselves, bravo

Wonderful essay!!!!!!! 👌🏻

great video!

Thank. You.

ole ole videíto nuevo del pantallaed

You just made me fall in love with Xavier Dolan.

I cried watching this…

I had no idea you lads were Quebecers! Awesome.

Perfect for a writer.

Go watch Jusqu'à la garde / Custody 2017 by Xavier Legrand - one of the hardest movies to watch for people with child trauma .. .

This reminds me of my family

cant imagine making this video and not mentioning Krisha (2015) gotta go back and do the whole thing again

Screened! If you wanna look at dysfunctional families, have a look at Running With Scissors!

Great

Why is pyrocynical in the thumbnail?

Hey Screened, does your channel have a québécois in the team or is it a one time thing for the video ? The more I watch it, the more it really sounds like the narrator is québécois by the way He prononces the names, while having (to me) a pretty good anglophone prononciation. I'm just being curious.

Xavier Dolan makes some really deep films

Damn this vid got me emotional haha

You pronounce very well his french name.

Even a generally happy families have this sort of awkward moments once in a while.

What its the second movie?

y'all have family dinners?

Proverbs 4:13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

The link to Mr. Gonzalez RU-vid Channel doesn't seem to work...

Wait in 7:13 is she the girl from death stranding ??

I'm completely lost..

the i killed my mother movie storyline hits way, way too close to home. fuck

This video really puts you in a dark place

👏👏👏

If you’re watching this and haven’t seen Mommy you’re missing out so hard it’s not even funny

Well shit my life should be a movie by now