MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for American Primitive

American Primitive

2009 · 96 min

A tender, bittersweet coming-of-age drama that mixes warmth and discomfort as a family confronts small-town prejudice with honesty and humor.

Directed by
Gwen Wynne
Genres
Drama
Starring
Tate Donovan, Adam Pascal, Danielle Savre
Tagline
Family is family no matter what.
Overview
Set in 1973 and inspired by true events, 'Wild About Harry' follows the havoc wreaked in a teen girl’s life when she discovers that her widowed father is gay. Alternately comic and tragic and anchored by an impressive ensemble cast, the film captures both the freedoms and the homophobia of the time – all set against the backdrop of small town America on Cape Cod. British widower Harry Goodhart decides to make a fresh start and moves with his teenage daughters to Cape Cod in 1973. But Harry can't leave behind the secret that threatens to tear his family apart. Adjusting to their new lives proves difficult for the girls when they discover that the connection between their dad and his partner is more than just a working relationship.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Free in the UK
  • Filmtap
More options Data from JustWatch
Directed by
Gwen Wynne
Genres
Drama
Starring
Tate Donovan, Adam Pascal, Danielle Savre
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
    Pacing
    measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
    Attention
    engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
    Themes
    • family
    • identity
    • coming-of-age
    • isolation
    • love
    Places
    • small town
    • home
    Era
    period
    Audience
    teen
    Form
    • ensemble
    • true story
    Content intensity
    • Gore none
    • Language mild
    • Violence none
    • Sex mild
    All scales, 0 to 10
    Scales, 0 to 10
    ScaleValue0 to 10
    Action1
    Horror0
    Humour4
    Realism8
    Romance3
    Tension4
    Darkness5
    Complexity5
    Emotional weight7

    More like this

    Titles like American Primitive

    Movie

    The Fabelmans

    2022

    A tender, bittersweet memory piece that unfolds gently, letting you watch a boy fall in love with movies while his family quietly comes apart.

    About family and identity · true story

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    • true story
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    151 min
    Details
    The FabelmansHidden from your suggestions.
    Short film

    My Mother's Lovers

    2020

    A quiet, uncomfortable coming-of-age short that simmers with unspoken longing and awkward family tension.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    22 min
    Details
    My Mother's LoversHidden from your suggestions.
    TV series

    The Fosters

    2013–2018

    A heartfelt, issue-driven family drama that balances warmth with teen angst and social realism.

    About family and identity · ensemble

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    • ensemble
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Seasons
    5
    Details
    The FostersHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Queens

    2024

    A tender, bittersweet immersion into a family's fragile reconnection amid political unrest, balancing warmth and melancholy.

    About family and identity · ensemble

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    • ensemble
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    104 min
    Details
    QueensHidden from your suggestions.
    Short film

    Break Free

    2021

    A short, intimate coming-of-age drama about escaping a painful family situation, carrying quiet tension and a hopeful ache.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    19 min
    Details
    Break FreeHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Courtship

    1987

    A quiet, gentle period drama about young love and family friction, unfolding slowly with warmth and restraint.

    About family and coming-of-age · true story

    Via
    • family
    • coming-of-age
    • true story
    Pacing
    slow-burn
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    84 min
    Details
    CourtshipHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    We the Animals

    2018

    A lyrical, sensory immersion into a boy's inner world, blending tender moments with undercurrents of volatility and quiet longing.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    slow-burn
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    93 min
    Details
    We the AnimalsHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    O Wildnis

    1959

    A gentle, sentimental slice of small-town family life, watching adolescence stir with earnest charm and mild, teasing heartache.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    easy-watch
    Details
    O WildnisHidden from your suggestions.
    Short film

    Odd Bird

    2019

    A quiet, tender short that sits with a young man's nerves before a hard conversation, warm but heavy with dread.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    10 min
    Details
    Odd BirdHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Summer Interlude

    A gentle, sunlit coming-of-age story about a restless summer and the pull between duty and freedom.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    55 min
    Details
    Summer InterludeHidden from your suggestions.
    TV series

    The O.C.

    2003–2007

    A glossy, witty soap that mixes teen angst with self-aware humor, easy to binge and emotionally turbulent.

    About family and identity · ensemble

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    • ensemble
    Pacing
    brisk
    Attention
    easy-watch
    Seasons
    4
    Details
    The O.C.Hidden from your suggestions.
    Short film

    Laurita

    2009

    A quiet, observant slice of summer where small moments and unspoken tensions carry more weight than any plot.

    About family and identity

    Via
    • family
    • identity
    Pacing
    slow-burn
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    20 min
    Details
    LauritaHidden from your suggestions.

    Where to watch in the UK

    Free
    • Filmtap
    Rent
    • Amazon Video
    • MovieMe
    Buy
    • Amazon Video

    Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

    Details

    Genres
    drama
    Directed by
    Gwen Wynne
    Written by
    Mary Beth Fielder, Gwen Wynne
    Starring
    Tate Donovan, Adam Pascal, Danielle Savre, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Josh Peck, Corey Sevier, Susan Anspach, James B. Sikking
    Runtime
    96 min
    Country
    United States of America
    Languages
    English

    TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata

    Something wrong on this page? Tell us.