The Savages sounds like a horror title, but is in fact a worthwhile film about 40-something brother Jon Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and slightly-younger sister Wendy (Laura Linney) coming to terms with their ailing father Lenny (Philip Bosco) suddenly needing their help. It's a touching look at caring that will affect many people at some point in their lives.

Jon and Wendy are a not particularly close brother and sister, and find themselves living under one roof and putting their middle-aged lives on hold to care for a father with dementia. Wendy (Academy Award nominee Laura Linney) is a struggling East Village playwright, who spends her days applying for grants, stealing office supplies and dating her married neighbour.

Jon (Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a neurotic college don writing books on obscure subjects in Buffalo. Then comes a call informing them that their father Lenny (Philip Bosco), is slowly being consumed by dementia and they are the only ones that can help.

The Savages marks the return of writer and director Tamara Jenkins (The Slums of Beverley Hills) who goes for a refreshingly unsentimental and intelligent approach towards would-be writers who have to become carers overnight. It's a challenge which will bring out many facets of their characters, good and bad, but what is particularly good about the film, is the fact that the director nails many of the daily anxieties and pressures that go with someone becoming forced into the role of a carer.

Given that we live now in a world where generations are living longer, the situation faced by Wendy and Jon will be one that many people will find themselves facing, and from a personal view as a carer, it's somehow strangely comforting to see others going through the process on screen and to know that the director makes the points intelligently and without soppiness. It's nice also that the film has its lighter moments, there are moments when any reunion between a brother and sister who have not been close since childhood would be funny, and director Jenkins also sees that.

Both Hoffman and Linney give excellently natural performances as you might expect. They make a believable brother and sister and this is a film that I can't recommend too highly if you're looking for an intelligent and perceptive film to go and see. You don't have to be in their situation to appreciate what they're going through.