Almost Strangers/Perfect Strangers (2001)
Another interesting Stephen Poliakoff production, Almost Strangers (titled Perfect Strangers in Britain, but using a name change here to avoid confusion with Balki and Cousin Larry) is a five hour miniseries about a large family reunion in London. Taking place over a few days we meet many of the colorful characters in the extended Symon clan. The viewer learns about them through photographs shown and stories told to Daniel Symon (Matthew Macfadyen), who is both family member and outsider. Daniel has never met any of his family before because his grandfather, and later his own dad, Raymond (Michael Gambon), avoided their relatives like the plague. Daniel somehow convinces his father to attend this affair and he and his parents journey down to meet the family.
Although Daniel and his parents are not rich (his father went bankrupt and lost the family business), all of his relatives are. He's very attracted to their wealth, sophistication, and all-around poshness. He quickly inserts himself into the lives of his most alluring family members. First, it's Rebecca (Claire Skinner) and Charles (Toby Stephens) a pair of very smart, rich, and glamorous siblings. And then it's Alice (Lindsay Duncan) a beautiful and gentle older woman. What Daniel doesn't realize at first, though, is that all three of these apparently perfect people are carrying around some heavy tragic guilt.
The miniseries deals with quite a lot of subjects - Michael Gambon's Raymond, who seems to be the only unsuccessful member of the Symon family, wonders why everyone is so concerned with "doing well." He later gives a monologue all about his personal failures that is probably my favorite moment in the film. Almost Strangers really explores the idea of outer appearances being completely deceiving and our need to present a consistently cheerful and "normal" front to the world. Of course none of these people are "normal." Everyone has some interesting or bizarre story in their past that no one would expect. As the reunion wears on, Daniel learns many hidden surprises and these digressions (each story is told through flashbacks and old photographs) are always extremely interesting.
What I really liked about the film was the weight of the past (and the dead) on this family. It's not readily apparent at first, because Daniel himself isn't aware of it, but almost everyone's actions are related to past events or loss. Daniel later learns that one dead member of the Symons has been left off the family tree, and although it is a simple mistake, it carries grave consequences. Something like that should carry grave consequences - memories, no matter how painful, should not attempt to be erased.
The reunion ends with no big resolution. It is unclear what will happen to any of these people. Some of them, like Raymond, have found a measure of personal peace during the reunion, but we don't know what will become of Daniel, Charles, Rebecca, or Alice. All of their personal tragedies are revealed, but all they can do is acknowledge them. I liked that aspect in particular - the miniseries not having a happy or unhappy ending. The Symon clan will just go on and on with some the wiser and some not.