Synopsis
Kathleen Turner stars as suburban mother and devout Catholic Eileen Cleary, who has always kept up appearances. When she runs for the Catholic Woman of the Year title at her local parish, her final test is introducing her family to the board for the seal of approval. Now she must finally face the nonconformist family she has been glossing over for years...
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Cast
- Kathleen TurnerEileen Cleary
- Emily DeschanelShannon Cleary
- Jason RitterFrank Cleary Jr.
- Richard ChamberlainMonsignor Murphy
- Michael McGradyFrank Cleary
- Elizabeth PeñaChristina Rayes
- Angelique CabralAngela Rayes
- June SquibbMrs. Punch
Recommendations
- 75
New York Post
Make no mistake, though: The Perfect Family is Kathleen Turner's show. And when a series of crises forces Eileen to re-examine her values and beliefs, Turner rises magnificently to the occasion. - 65
Movieline
It's still a kick to watch Kathleen Turner don a housedress and trade soothing pieties with Richard Chamberlain. The Perfect Family feels like it could have been more than that, but I suppose counting its blessings is the more Christian thing to do. - 60
Variety
Watching a consummate pro like Turner navigate an uneven script, veering from farcical determination, her cheeks puffed like those of a demented chipmunk, to utter devastation, can be immensely entertaining, particularly when she's backed by an able cast, as she is here. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
This debut feature by Anne Renton doesn't quite find the proper tone to convey its heartfelt message. - 50
The A.V. Club
Turner's interactions with Deschanel are so much weightier than the rest of the film that the other storylines seem extraneous. - 40
Time Out
Turner seems stifled by the joyless role of a woman whose only purpose is to be taught the error of her sanctimonious ways. - 40
New York Daily News
While they have all the materials needed for a sharp satire, they're too timid to arrive at any real revelations. - 40
The New York Times
The dialogue in the film, directed by Anne Renton from a screenplay by Claire V. Riley and Paula Goldberg, has the loud, mechanical clicketyclack of a 40-year-old episode of "All in the Family."