The Estate Movie Review (2022)
A dark comedy about relatives vying for their dying aunt’s fortune, The Estate is a hit-or-miss, predictable story with a strong cast, a few laughs, and more than a few cringey moments.
When I came across this title recently, I was super confused why I’d never heard of it before. A 2022 film with Toni Colette (who I love) and Anna Faris (who I get a kick out of) flew under my radar? How could that be? Well, now I know.
The Estate is about adult sisters Savannah and Macey, who are running out of money to keep their failing business afloat. When they learn that their rich, cranky aunt is dying, they scheme to become her favorite nieces so that she will leave them her fortune. Upon arriving at Aunt Hilda’s house, they find that two of their cousins had the same idea.
This is not a great film. There are FAR worse movies out there, but, with all the star power available, there was no saving you from the second-hand embarrassment you occasionally felt for the actors.
The cast is great, featuring Toni Colette, Anna Faris, David Duchovny, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ron Livingston, and Kathleen Turner. Without a doubt, The Estate is richer and more enjoyable to watch because of these talented people.
There are some legitimately funny moments in the film, and I did laugh out loud. But it is uneven, so you ride a wave between heavily amusing and heavily cringey. There are bits that feel like they’ve been manufactured to push for laughs, and lighter, more natural moments that click because of an actor’s delivery.
The story itself is predictable, and you’re confident you know how it’s going to end from very early on in the film, but the path to get there is slightly less obvious. Duchovny’s Cousin Dick is looking to hook up with his cousin Macey, Cousin Beatrice is willing to lend her husband to Aunt Hilda to get her physical needs met, and Macey is managing a relationship with a boyfriend who is a big crier. Plus, Macey and Savannah’s mother and Aunt Hilda have a toxic relationship.
Despite the issues that I mentioned, I didn’t dislike The Estate. It’s fine. Some people will like it more than others, and if you are dedicated to watching every Toni Colette movie out there (like I am), you need to take this one on the chin. But there are worse. I would definitely rather watch this again over Never Goin’ Back!
Runtime: 95 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Probably not
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2.25/5 Stars
Available: Free on Hulu and Disney+ or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
