During my college years in New York City, Edward Burns was one of the filmmakers who I believed best captured the city and the spirit of the East Coast through his lens – and I still do.
This was the early 2000s. The Brothers McMullen had already taken the indie film industry by storm in 1995 when it won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
Although She’s the One with Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz was more commercially admired, it was Burns’ 2001 Sidewalks of New York with Rosario Dawson, Stanley Tucci, David Krumholtz, Heather Graham, and the late Brittany Murphy that really stayed with me.
Then there was Purple Violets with Selma Blair and Patrick Wilson. By 2007, I owned every Edward Burns film on DVD.
Not only did the director/producer feature the city as a character unto itself, but he so wonderfully wrote about the human condition — life’s obstacles, whether it be a failed relationship or a challenging career choice. To me, Burns was and is the modern-day Woody Allen (without the personal controversy). He is a filmmaker who writes stories for the realistic romantic, not the hopeless one.
To my delight, Burns is back with The Family McMullen, streaming on December 5 exclusively on HBO Max.
Thirty years after Edward Burns’ The Brothers McMullen wowed critics and audiences with its exploration of the lives and struggles of three Irish American brothers from Long Island, New York, the family returns in this follow-up feature.
The new film tracks the romantic entanglements of a now 50-something Barry McMullen (Burns) and his 20-something kids, as well as his brother Patrick (Michael McGlone) and widowed sister-in-law Molly (Connie Britton), each facing unexpected romantic hurdles of their own.
Three decades later, Burns continues to remind us why authentic storytelling never goes out of style. We look forward to watching.
The film stars Connie Britton, Edward Burns, Michael McGlone, Tracee Ellis Ross, Halston Sage, Juliana Canfield, Pico Alexander, and Brian d’Arcy James.
The Brothers McMullen is available to stream on HBO Max.
