An Ordinary Family – 2011 LAFF

Making its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Mike Akel’s new film, An Ordinary Family takes a look at what happens when Seth (Greg Wise) brings his boyfriend, William (Chad Miller), home on a family vacation. Their unannounced arrival surprises the family, especially Seth’s brother Thomas (Troy Schremmer), who has taken over the “family business” and become a conservative, Christian minister. As a film taking a detailed look at one couple within the many different gay and lesbian communities, An Ordinary Family doesn’t depict a new, revolutionary message. Rather, the film paints an accurate and touching picture of what it looks like to “come out” to a regular stereotypical, middle-class family.

Akel, who is known for his indie flick, Chalk, wanted to show “truth through comedy”. An Ordinary Family melds laugh out loud funny with family drama cohesively, so much so that the end product feels just like a real family. Akel shot the majority of the film in sequence, letting the characters grow organically. Greg Wise even revealed that the actors kept secrets from each other, not revealing a character backstory until they were shooting the scene. This method is appropriate considering Akel likes to, in his words, “love on the actors” and “let them do what they do.”

And while An Ordinary Family’s storyline isn’t anything too controversial, it does combine two worlds that are often at odds with each other. The film largely centers around the struggle between the gay community and Christianity, deduced into the form of two brothers trying to come to terms with their relationship. In a feat that is almost unmanageable, Akel is able to depict both sides in an honorable way – something that was important to him from the start. His attempts to strip down one of the hottest topics in America into a simple brother-to-brother relationship is a resounding success. Forget the emotions. Forget the politics. In the end, it’s all about “loving your neighbor as yourself.” And that message, as the film portrays, is still very important to see.