INVENTING THE ABBOTTS

Inventing the Abbotts is a well-acted, dramatically effective romantic drama about two poor brothers drawn to three wealthy sisters. Director Pat O’Connor conveys the Abbott family’s brutish snobbery with believable force, and the ensemble cast gives the story emotional weight.

But the film’s romantic world is shaped by lust, envy, class resentment, and constant implied or briefly depicted sexual activity. The younger brother’s more restrained love offers a moral contrast to his brother’s sexual urges, yet the film never develops that contrast into a deeply inspiring vision of marriage.

The spiritual absence also matters. Neither the Holt nor Abbott family shows religious devotion, and Jesus is never mentioned. Adults who can weigh those concerns may find dramatic value here; families and younger viewers should choose something else. WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY is the practical answer.

In a 1950s Illinois country town, high schooler Doug Holt narrates the story of his family’s fascination with the three daughters of the wealthy Abbott family. Doug and his brother Jacey are romantically interested in the sisters, but they pursue them in very different ways.

The Abbott father opposes any relationship between his daughters and the Holt boys. As the families’ antagonism deepens, romance, class conflict, family secrets, and a small-town myth threaten to determine whether Doug can find fulfillment with Pamela Abbott.

Three stars means this is an engaging and dramatically effective film, though it falls short of its potential to be inspiring. Pat O’Connor handles the ensemble piece with aplomb and conveys Mr. Abbott’s brutish snobbery with telling believability.

Liv Tyler gives a credible performance as Pamela Abbott. Jennifer Connelly and Joanna Going play her self-absorbed, privileged sisters effectively, while Joaquin Phoenix and Billy Crudup deliver solid performances as Doug and Jacey Holt. The parental supporting cast performs adequately.

The familiar rich-versus-poor conflict proves dramatically fruitful. Still, the story lacks the spiritual dimension that could have made its romantic drama more meaningful.

The film includes some moral elements, especially through the contrast between Jacey’s sheer lust and Doug’s more restrained approach to Pamela. It also presents the triumph of the younger brother’s chaste love. Yet the story is ultimately driven by envy and lust, and its romantic fulfillment is not grounded in devotion to God or a clear understanding of marriage.

The absence of spirituality is a significant weakness. Neither the Holts nor the Abbotts shows religious devotion, and the film makes no mention of Jesus. Even sensitive, caring Helen Holt does not discuss worship services with her son at Christmas. The result suggests that ordinary families have no religious affiliations at all.

The film’s class conflict is also central. Lloyd Abbott’s belief that his daughters are too good for poor boys reflects his life of money and snobbery. The story recognizes the cruelty of that pride, but it does not replace it with a distinctly biblical vision of love, family, or marriage.

Scripture connects marriage with God’s own joy: “As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).

This is an engaging, well-acted romantic drama with real moral contrast and strong dramatic effectiveness. But its sexual content, harsh language, nudity, drinking, and spiritually empty view of family make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other options, see.