[Outfest 2023] THE MATTACHINE FAMILY -- Pleasant but Lifetime-esque Melodrama

Review by Sean Boelman

It’s often evident when a film is a passion project, and that’s certainly the case with The Mattachine Family, directed by Andy Vallentine and written by him with his husband Danny Vallentine. Although The Mattachine Family doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ dramedy, it’s entirely harmless and just good enough to work.

The movie follows a gay couple whose ideas of family are challenged after their first foster child is reunited with his birth mother. It’s a pretty compelling mix of family drama and romantic comedy, with some funny moments and heartwarming ones, even if it is frequently held back by an uneven script.

The Mattachine Family arguably works best as an exploration of its central theme of the challenges of raising a family for an LGBTQIA+ individual. Although there are some moments in which the messaging becomes a bit muddled — such as a scene in a courtroom, where the film comes dangerously close to a regressive take on the foster care system — it’s clear that the movie mostly means very well. 

The script written by the Vallentines struggles with flow, feeling more like a series of interconnected vignettes than a cohesive story. It feels almost as if they approached writing this film with those key scenes in mind, and the connective tissue simply did not fall into place. Although those moments are often effective at pulling at the heart-strings, the movie simply isn’t able to sustain that emotion.

The other part of the film that is somewhat off-putting is its tone, which leans a bit heavily on the sentimentality at times — even to the point of ocassionally becoming a Lifetime-esque melodrama. Much of the blame can be put on the dialogue, which consistently means well, but is often cheesy or on-the-nose with what it has to say.

That being said, the movie is saved by solid direction by Andy Vallentine, guiding some gifted performers in their roles. Nico Tortorella gives such a convincing performance in the lead that it is hard to imagine anyone in the role. They exude so much raw emotion that the film feels authentic, even when its writing is a bit strained. In the supporting cast, Emily Hampshire is the biggest standout, having the flashiest “supporting actress” moments, while Heather Matarazzo’s bit part feels like more of a bid to lend the movie a higher profile.

In terms of the film’s below-the-line qualities, it’s about as one would expect from an indie dramedy like this. The cinematography is a bit on the oversaturated, glossy side, and the needle drops and score tend to be on the nose. It’s competent enough to pass as mainstream, possibly for a life on streaming or the like.

If there’s one word that you could use to describe The Mattachine Family, it’s cutesy. It’s occasionally effective as a tear-jerker, and is elevated by some disproportionately excellent performances, but it too often falls victim to the script’s melodramatic trappings to be any more than merely alright.

The Mattachine Family is screening at Outfest, which runs in-person in Los Angeles from July 13-23, and online from July 17-30.

​Rating: 3/5