Feast of the Seven Fishes

A town in West Virginia, 1983. Christmas Eve. An Italian American family is preparing the feast of the seven fishes; there are three generations in the kitchen and everyone has a job. Tony works in the family's shop. He did not go to college; he draws, and tells nobody. That evening Beth comes; she is from the wealthy side of the town and is studying law. Two worlds sit at the same table. The meal runs long, the drink increases, and the family's secrets come out. Robert Tinnell writes and directs. Skyler Gisondo plays Tony and Madison Iseman plays Beth; Josh Helman and Addison Timlin are in the cast. It is an American production. The source is a graphic novel the director wrote; the story rests on his own family's tradition. It was shot in the region where he grew up. The matter it treats is class and staying; Tony does not know whether he wants to leave the town. The narrative shows the cooking in detail and each of the seven fishes is inside it. The family scenes are crowded and the overlapping talk sets the rhythm. The film tries to keep the detail of the eighties; the music and costume belong to the period. The narrative resolves its romantic line too easily. Its limit is structure; the plot is weak, there are many characters, and the ending sweet. Who it is for: viewers who like Christmas films and narratives built on a family gathering. Who it is not for: it is uneventful, crowded, and the ending easy.