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A Family Thing

A Family Thing

With family, everything is relative.

19966.41h 49m

Overview

Earl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.

Directed by Richard Pearce
Written by Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson
Produced by Robert Duvall, Todd Black, Randa Haines
Box Office0Revenue: $10.1M

Top Cast

Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall

Earl Pilcher Jr.

James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones

Ray Murdock

Michael Beach

Michael Beach

Virgil

Irma P. Hall

Irma P. Hall

Aunt T.

Grace Zabriskie

Grace Zabriskie

Ruby

Regina Taylor

Regina Taylor

Ann

David Keith

David Keith

Sonny

Xander Berkeley

Xander Berkeley

Sunburned Man

Jacqueline Williams

Jacqueline Williams

Woman at Hospital

Mary Jackson

Mary Jackson

Carrie

Themes & Keywords

letterarkansasbirthbiracialmatriarchy

About A Family Thing

A Family Thing is a comedy, drama film released in 1996 exploring themes of letter, arkansas, birth, biracial, matriarchy. Directed by Richard Pearce, it stars Robert Duvall, James Earl Jones, Michael Beach. Earl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.

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