The Talent Given Us

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The Talent Given Us ★★★ 2004

Writer/director/producer Andrew Wagner gives this road trip story a quasi-reality twist by casting his father Allen, mother Judy and sisters Emily and Maggie as, well, themselves. The Wagners have not seen their elusive son Andrew (Wagner) in several years, and embark on a cross-country drive from Manhattan to Los Angeles to catch up with him, picking up family friend Bumby (Dixon) en route. The miles are filled with unfiltered and sometimes unflattering discussion of everything from driving habits to sex to prescription drugs to thoughts of infidelity. The unnerving fascination with the line between real life and fantasy is a major draw. 97m/C DVD . US Billy Wirth, Judy Wagner, Allen Wagner, Emily Wagner, Maggie Wagner, Judy Dixon; D: Andrew Wagner; W: Andrew Wagner; C: Andrew Wagner; M: David Dyas.