[FILM REVIEW] FAMILIAR TOUCH Review (2025)

October 23, 2025November 11, 2025 Dave Alison Martin, Andy McQueen, Bernard Beck, Carolyn Michelle, Central Coast Radio, David Griffiths, Dick Myers, Familiar Touch, H. Jon Benjamin, Henry Fippinger, Joahn Webb, Katelyn Nacon, Kathleen Chalfant, Kyle McGrath, London Garcia, Maya Peled, Mike G, Pierce Minor, Sandy Velasco, Sarah Friedland, The Popcorn Conspiracy Radio Show, USA

Summary: An octogenarian woman transitions to life in assisted living as she contends with her conflicting relationship to herself and her caregivers amidst her shifting memory, age identity, and desires.

Year: 2025

Cinema Release Dates: 23rd October 2025 (Australia), TBA (Thailand), TBA (UK), TBA (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: USA

Director: Sarah Friedland

Screenwriter: Sarah Friedland

Cast: Bernard Beck (Walter), H. Jon Benjamin (Steve), Kathleen Chalfant (Ruth), Henry Fippinger (Young Jacob (voice)), Mike G. (Rudy), London Garcia (Cynthia), Alison Martin (Joan), Andy McQueen (Brian), Carolyn Michelle (Vanessa), Pierce Minor (Mike), Dick Myers (Paul), Katelyn Nacon (Sophie), Maya Peled (Young Ruth (voice)), Sandy Velasco (Angela), Joahn Webb (Pearl)

Running Time: 90 minutes

Classification: TBC (Australia), TBC (Thailand), TBC (UK), TBC (USA)

OUR FAMILIAR TOUCH REVIEWS

David Griffiths’s Familiar Touch Review

Kyle’s rating Out Of 5

Kyle McGrath’s Familiar Touch Review

For those who have seen the effects of dementia or cognitive decline few things can be more terrifying. Not only the fear of experiencing such hardships oneself but seeing it in a family member. For instance the sad reality of needing to explain that a loved one has passed away decades ago only to see their reaction as if hearing the news for the first time. In these cases thankfully there are caregivers trained in how best to help.

This is the future that will be experienced by Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant). A woman in her 80s, widowed and a talented cook she unfortunately has crossed into the realm of being unable to live alone anymore. A stranger named Steve (H. Jon Benjamin), has come to take her away to a place she’s never been to before. The stranger however is her son and this place is an assisted living facility she herself toured and chose as her preferred new home. She just can’t remember any of this and sadly her cognitive ability will only get worse.

In level 3, “memory lane” as it is affectionately called by its residents Ruth becomes accustomed to her new surroundings. She meets Vanessa (Carolyn Michelle Smith), a nurturing and caring employee Ruth will be happy to call her friend. But the once independent octogenarian struggles with her unfortunate reality. Plagued by confusion she seeks out an understanding of herself and her situation. An existence of loss but also joy at the happiness still available to her.

Familiar Touch is the debut feature film from writer-director Sarah Friedland. Described as a “coming of old-age” movie its touching story has already seen it awarded numerous accolades and nearly unanimous praise from critics. Without a doubt it’s easily one of the best films of the year!

Why I found myself appreciating Familiar Touch as greatly as I did was that Sarah Friedland has crafted a touching, emotional vision into the life of those with cognitive failings. It’s not heavy on plot, instead it places the audience in Ruth’s world seeing things in an almost first person perspective. The confusion, the emptiness but also the humour she is able to find in her daily life.

Before we know it Ruth is already well placed in the community of her assisted living facility. Perhaps Ruth herself cannot quite remember meeting everyone for the first time either. We see some of her relationship growing with Vanessa but only enough to know what Ruth herself knows, this person is her friend. Uncertainty of the minor details yet grasping the underlying reality of situations and people are perfectly conveyed by Friedland’s writing and direction.

The film isn’t about extremes or forcing dramatic moments between it’s characters. There’s no abusive staff member at the care home and we don’t have Steve reveal some elaborate plot twist. It’s an extremely honest film about these people and their perspectives of the world presented to them.

Kathleen Chalfant is much more known as a theatre actress but turns in an incredibly moving portrayal of this woman approaching the end of her life. H Jon Benjamin is an actor I have thus far exclusively seen as a (brilliant) comedy figure. Here in only a few scenes he shows the love and esteem in which he holds his mother, someone seeing his loved one slip away. A terrific dramatic performance from the star of Bob’s Burgers!

But it’s not a tear-jerker tragedy, it’s just very real. It’s a film about the experience of Ruth and those around her and it’s perfectly articulated by Sarah Friedland. Like age related cognitive decline itself Familiar Touch is a film without a happy ending. But nobody gets out alive and we would do better to approach this truth with the resilience and grace in which Ruth does.

Kyle’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

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