The Reception  (2005)

Theatrical Release Information:
The Reception

Anger, desire, and jealousy fuel a bitter family reunion in this independent drama. Martin (Wayne Lamont Sims) is an artist stuck deep in a creative rut who lives in a small but comfortable home in upstate New York with Jeannette (Pamela Holden Stewart), a French émigré who has a sizable nest egg. Martin and Jeannette have an alternately warm and deeply dysfunctional relationship, and it might seem like a marriage to some if it were not for the fact Martin is gay. One day, Jeannette gets an unexpected visit from her daughter Sierra (Margaret Burkwit), who has not been on friendly terms with her mother for some time. Sierra and her husband Andrew (Darien Sills-Evans) have come ostensively to mend fences with Jeannette, though it soon becomes clear that the matter of Jeannette's estate is also a concern. As the four conflicting personalities interact within the small house, hidden attractions become clear and long-buried secrets rise to the surface. The Reception was the second feature film from independent filmmaker John G. Young, who reportedly shot the film using digital video equipment in only eight days on a budget of 5,000 dollars. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide