Clutter

Hoarding has long been considered an eccentricity. This quasi-documentary proves that it is far more toxic; just watch how it radiates through a family. Submitted by the USA and capably directed by Diane Crespo, our 2013 Seattle International Film Festival audience members had mixed responses. In my opinion, the direction and the acting were far better than the story, although I admit that it's pretty hard to find much comedy in a film about a hoarder.

We watched:

• Carol Kane ("Sleepwalk with Me") as the matriarch of a dysfunctional family. Her home is crammed with treasures accumulated over the past 20 years or so, since her husband left her with three children and a houseful of collectibles. She still can't pass a "Garage Sale" or "Yard Sale" sign!
• Joshua Leonard (Lots of TV) is her oldest child, kind, patient and trying to keep his mother's neurosis under control...until that crabby neighbor finally has had too much and calls the authorities.
• Natasha Lyonne ("New Girl") is the angry sister, coping with a dying aunt, a job, and a mother who can't listen to reason. She insists that the faint Madonna image on the garage door which has attracted a crowd of worshipers, is a water stain.
• Halley Feiffer (Lots of TV) nearly steals the show as the painfully shy sister who has a gift for staging houses that soon will go on the market. Her hands alone deserve an award!

It's funny/sad to watch a hoarder when she sees her own "stuff" on display at her garage sale. Things get pretty physical! Of course, we must suspend disbelief because this is clearly a sanitized version of hoarding...although there IS a cockroach!