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What They Had

Name: What They Had
Director: Elizabeth Chomko
Released: 2018
Duration: 101 min

Representation Score

4.3/10

Fair

2018

Director

Elizabeth Chomko

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

What They Had is a character-driven drama that excels in its psychological realism, especially concerning Alzheimer’s disease. By focusing on the lived experience of cognitive decline, the film avoids clichés and offers a profound look at personal loss. However, the film remains socially conservative in its demographic makeup, which is narrowly focused on a homogeneous white, middle-class family. Despite this, the film’s strength lies in its honest portrayal of disability and its deconstruction of traditional gender roles.

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Category Breakdown

Does What They Had have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a family structure where everyone is assumed to be straight. There are no visible LGBTQ+ characters or exploration of queer relationships.

How does What They Had portray gender?

Good

The story breaks down traditional male authority as the patriarch loses his mental capacity. This shifts the responsibility for managing crises and emotional labor onto the female characters.

How racially and ethnically diverse is What They Had?

Limited

The film portrays a homogeneous, white, middle-class family. It does not include characters from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

How does What They Had represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film presents the traditional family unit as fragile and dysfunctional, emphasizing messy, subjective emotional truths.

Does What They Had include disability representation?

Good

The film provides a nuanced portrayal of Alzheimer’s disease, focusing on the raw reality of cognitive decline and caregiving without resorting to inspirational stories.

Present on Screen

Provides a nuanced, realistic portrayal of Alzheimer’s disease without relying on inspirational stories.
Effectively breaks down traditional male authority by highlighting the vulnerability and loss of control in male characters.
Offers a sophisticated look at the emotional labor and complexities faced by female characters during a crisis.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer relationships.
Maintains a homogeneous racial landscape, offering no ethnic diversity within the cast.
Operates within a strictly traditional, Western, middle-class demographic framework.

Official Synopsis

A woman must fly back to her hometown when her Alzheimer's-stricken mother wanders into a blizzard. The return home forces her to confront her past.

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