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FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER review: Adam Driver, Indya Moore, and Jim Jarmusch reteam for a sublime family dramedy
No one makes a hangout movie like Jim Jarmusch. From From his feature-length debut Permanent Vacation onward, the American writer/director has woven his affinity for intimate settings and observational humor with various flourishes. Only Lovers Left Alive gave us vampires lounging around a rotting Detroit. The Dead Don't Die offered ghouls with the energy and desires of a late-night hang, craving coffee and chardonnay (and brains). Now, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER offers the familiar family hang — one that's authentically awkward, funny, and tragic.
Set over the course of three vignettes, Jarmusch's latest keenly illustrates how families are all different and the same. His astoundingly stacked cast boasts Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat. Together, they construct short yet solid stories of three families in moments both mundane and pivotal, creating an absorbing portrait of love that's messy and profound.
Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, and Tom Waits make for a quirky kickoff.
"Father" is the first of three chapters of the film. In a small town in New Jersey, brother and sister Jeff (Driver) and Emily (Bialik) head to visit their dad (Waits), and they're anything but eager. Stiff in woolen blazers, V-neck cardigans, slacks, and a long skirt, they are dressed as if on their way to a business meeting rather than to reunite with the father they haven't seen in two years. Pulling up to his ramshackle house, which sits at the end of very long muddy driveway, it's clear they don't belong here.
Waits, meanwhile, is dressed in battered striped pants, a hoodie, and a head of hair that's not seen a brush or a bit of product in ages. Their dad's home is cluttered with books and laundry, as if in the wake of their mother's death years before he can barely care for himself. However, there are hints that their father (who goes unnamed) has a life outside of their understanding of him, like the glistening Rolex on his wrist.
Within this reunion, Jarmusch's script reveals some backstory, touching on death, illness, divorce, and precocious grandchildren. But the movie keeps us firmly in this place, in this moment, where this family is perplexed about how to reconnect. There's no bad blood, but more confusion on how this father created these kids.
Where they are almost perversely proper, polite, and put-together, he seems a weary whirlwind, embarrassed to be caught mid-spin. The conflict they encounter is not one of shouting or smashed plates, but swallowed arguments and a shared grief they can't bear to say aloud. So instead, they'll be civil and stay on the surface with small talk. Yet the visual storytelling and nuanced performances Jarmusch knits together allow the audience to probe deeper than these preppy siblings can dare.
Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, and Vicky Krieps clash as mother and daughters.
"Mother" follows "Father," transporting the film to Dublin, where a romance author (Rampling) is welcoming her two grown daughters for their annual afternoon tea. Where this matriarch is intimidatingly intellectual and chic, her daughters are a study in contrast. Timothea, or Tim for short (Blanchett), is a mousy pencil pusher who fusses and frets but always at a low volume, lest she be a bother. Little sister Lilith (Krieps) is a free spirit with pink hair, a comically casual attitude, and a penchant for lying about great successes to impress her mother.
There's no drastic divide between this trio. Like the "Father" family, they've drifted apart, seemingly content to have lives of their own. But in this household, their proximity practically itches. Lilith looks for ways to razz her sister, sparking a juvenile sibling rivalry that forces Tim into flushed retreat. But these intrusions and escapes are all in the gentle way of making nice. The tragedy of these moments is in how we can see their urge to connect and their fear to, all in a furtive glance, a choked laugh, or a licked bit of pastry.
Hilariously cast as the most boring person in this movie, Blanchett nonetheless exudes a quiet anxiety, giving pangs to every passive aggression from Krieps' provocateur. Then Rampling adds a primly prickly veneer that's sharply funny. For instance, when all three realize they're wearing red (a tailored dress, a modest turtleneck, a frayed novelty sweater), the mother declares it "embarrassing," pushing her daughters into opinions that throw them into cringeworthy opposition.
It's in such small moments that Jarmusch allows his audience to determine the meaning of these scenes, and this collection of stories. But where the first two sections of this triptych are about relatively strained relationships, the final is a warm portrait of almost supernatural closeness.
Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat are a revelation as twins.
Across all three, Jarmusch laces shared elements, like red clothing, a Rolex watch, clumsy toasts with non-alcoholic beverages, images of young skateboarders rolling by carefree and in slow motion, and some iteration of the idiom "Bob's your uncle." But in this chapter, he breaks the pattern of a family of three. In the Paris-set "Sister Brother," Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat play twins surveying what remains of their childhood home in the wake of their parents' deaths.
It's been weeks since their passing, so the stab of loss is not as sharp. Instead, the twins get to enjoy the easy comfort of each other's company. Like Jeff and Emily, they share an aesthetic. But it's far from preppy, favoring leather jackets and streetwear with an aspirational sense of chill. Whether chatting in the car, getting a coffee, or looking over childhood photos, they are at ease. Where the other families all showed a need to perform for each other, these twins have a connection so deep that it predates birth. They swear that even over oceans, they can sense when the other is getting sick or getting high.
While each of Jarmusch's family units in FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER feels familiar, Moore and Sabbat are so convincing in their chemistry and connection that I began to wonder if they actually are twins. (They are not.) This radiant love for one another smooths the cutting edges of the grief of their story, because unlike the other chapters' characters, they are not alone together. They are together even when they are alone, because they truly see each other and don't shrink from such honesty and vulnerability.
Following the press screening at the New York Film Festival, Jarmusch said in a Q&A that he didn't make this movie with a message in mind. To suggest there's a resolute message would be to misrepresent the gentle development of every section of this film. Yet viewed as a whole, I found FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER breathtaking in what it has to say about family. On one level, it's a reminder that every family is different and the same. We are all connected by a bunch of experiences, big and small, that are just so common they might be overlooked without the focus of a filmmaker on them. But beyond that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is a cool, rich, and wonderful celebration of familial love, which binds us and defines us — but not entirely.
Part of the beauty of this film is where Jarmusch leaves each story. He's rarely been one for buttoned-up conclusions. And here, he essentially offers not even a day, but a few hours in the lives of people bound by blood, and — what else? We get a window into their lives, and a glimpse of how they see each other. Then, their story moves on without us. Where will they go? What will they experience? It's a mystery the movie won't dwell on, but we can.
In that, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER invites us not only to see ourselves in the families for better or worse, but to imagine what might exist in the lives of our loved ones once they've closed the door and the visit has ended.
FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER was reviewed out of it North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. MUBI will release the film in theaters on Dec. 24.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love to make an entrance.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Knock, knock!
The words are related to passageways.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe gateways.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today's spangram is Let Me In.
NYT Strands word list for November 8
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Entrance
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Portal
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Gate
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Let Me In
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Doorways
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Threshold
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Ingress
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're an early riser.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:
To get up.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is…
ARISE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
Rent or Buy on Prime Video
HBO Max (With Ads)
(save $21.89)
Max Standard
(save $36.89)
HBO Max Student
(save 50%)
HBO Max Basic With Ads
(save $10.99/month)
HBO Max Basic With Ads
(save $10.99 per month)
Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max
(save up to 41%)
In 2023, Celine Song made a name for herself as an emerging queen of relationship dramas with her Academy Award-nominated debut feature Past Lives. In 2025, her second movie, Materialists, has audiences swooning over yet another love triangle. This time around, we're given a cast that the internet is already obsessed with in Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, and Dakota Johnson.
A24 gave us a masterclass in marketing over the summer with Materialists, which made it a surprising box office hit. If you missed the star-studded rom-com in theaters, it's now officially streaming. Here's what you need to know to tune in — including where and when to watch it, and the cheapest way to do so.
What is Materialists about?
The logline from A24 teases: "A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex." Lucy (Johnson) is the matchmaker who helps other couples find their happily ever after, while dubbing herself an "eternal bachelorette." Of course, that's about to change when two potential suitors crash into her life: Harry (Pascal), a rich and attractive bachelor looking to sweep her off her feet, and John (Evans), Lucy's equally attractive ex-boyfriend, looking to give it another go.
Check out the gorgeous love triangle in the official trailer:
Is Materialists worth watching?
"On paper, Materialists is perfection," Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes in her review. "It's a love triangle romantic comedy, headlined by three movie stars with which the internet is absolutely obsessed: Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson, and Pedro Pascal." If you're a fan of those three, that's reason enough to tune in. However, as Puchko notes, it's hard to divorce the actors' larger-than-life personas from the characters they're trying to portray. "As grounded and real as Materialists aims to be, it's hard to overlook its big, shining stars to see that gritty authenticity," she writes.
Materialists did well at the worldwide box office, likely due to its star-studded cast, and the reviews are largely positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 78 percent critic rating and 66 percent audience rating, with a consensus that Song is a "modern master of relationship dramas."
Check out Mashable's full review of Materialists.
How to watch Materialists at home
Credit: A24
The A24 rom-com made its at-home debut via digital video-on-demand platforms like Prime Video and Fandango at Home back in July, following a successful summer theatrical run. After a few months of waiting, it's now made its streaming debut on HBO Max. See all the details below.
Buy or rent on digital
Materialists is available on digital video-on-demand platforms as of July 22. You can either buy the movie for your digital library or rent it for 30 days. Just note that although you'll have 30 days to watch, you'll only have 48 hours to finish watching once you begin.
You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:
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Prime Video — buy for $12.99, rent for $5.99
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Apple TV — buy for $12.99, rent for $5.99
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Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
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YouTube — buy for $19.99, rent starting at $4.99
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Google Play — buy for $19.99, rent starting at $4.99
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Stream it on HBO Max
A24 has a multi-year output deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which means new A24 theatrical releases exclusively stream on HBO Max before anywhere else. Materialists is no different. It made its streaming debut on HBO Max on Nov. 7, 2025.
HBO Max subscriptions now start at $10.99 per month (thanks to a recent price hike), but there are a few different ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.
The best HBO Max streaming deals
Best for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max Basic annual subscription
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HBO Max Basic plans with ads usually cost $10.99 per month, but if you pay for an entire year upfront, that price drops down to just $9.17. You'll have to pay the full $109.99 all at once, but it ends up saving you about 16% compared to paying each month.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save up to 16% on HBO Max Standard annual subscription
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For those who need an ad-free viewing experience, the annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over the monthly plans. The Standard tier is $18.49 month-by-month or $184.99 per year, which breaks down to only $15.42 per month. Meanwhile, the Premium tier costs either $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year. That breaks down to just $19.17 per month. Both tiers will give you an ad-free experience, but the Premium tier also adds 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.
Get HBO Max for free: Get the Cricket Supreme Unlimited plan
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One way to get HBO Max for free in 2025 is by switching your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month Supreme Unlimited plan. It includes HBO Max Basic with ads at no extra cost — that's a $10.99 per month value. When you open up the HBO Max app or website, you'll just choose Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in.
Get HBO Max for free: Sign up for DashPass annual plan
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Here's another way to get HBO Max for free in 2025: Sign up for the DoorDash DashPass annual plan for $96 per year ($8 per month). A DashPass membership includes $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long, plus a complimentary HBO Max subscription (with ads). That means you'll pay just $8 per month for both DashPass and HBO Max, which is cheaper than a typical HBO Max with ads monthly subscription on its own.
Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads
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College students can get an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Just verify your student status through UNiDAYS and retrieve the unique discount code to drop the price from $10.99 to $5.49 per month for 12 months.
Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 41% off
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Even with the rising costs, Disney's bundle deals are still the best streaming deals around. You can get Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max for just $19.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers separately would cost you $34.97, so you'll keep an extra $15 in your pocket each month by bundling them together. If you want to go ad-free, it'll cost you $32.99 per month for the bundle as opposed to paying $56.47 separately. That's up to 41% in savings for access to all three streaming libraries.
NYT Strands hints, answers for November 8, 2025
Helena City Commission Candidate That Left THREATENING Voicemail for GOP Senator Loses Race
Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 8, 2025
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