Every family looks different, and each member of a family has different abilities and needs. It’s often most possible to see how people function – and where they struggle – when normal patterns and routines change or when a new factor is introduced that dramatically disrupts the status quo. In her feature film debut, Take Me Home, a full-length version of her 2023 short of the same name, filmmaker Liz Sargent offers an intimate, personal approach to what it means to depend on family and to truly allow your singular personality to shine.
Anna (Anna Sargent) is thirty-eight years old. She has a cognitive disability and lives with her adoptive parents, Joan (Marceline Hugot) and Bob (Victor Slezak). When the Florida weather takes a turn and things are no longer as they’ve always been, Anna struggles to stay on track. Her sister Emily (Ali Ahn) returns to try to help, but even though both she and Anna are adopted and have fond feelings for the couple that took them in, they have complicated relationships both with their parents and with each other that threaten to boil over as the situation becomes even more untenable.
Liz and Anna are real-life sisters, which gives this film a true air of authenticity as Liz obviously is approaching this story from a place of lived experience, even if what happens may not be her specific life. It’s a poignant way to explore the dynamic the two of them have and as a commentary on how disabled people move throughout the world, largely dependent on having a determined and present advocate to help them navigate circumstances that may present additional challenges that established systems have failed to adequately take into account.
Liz identifies as a Korean-American adoptee, and this film really does speak volumes about the meaning of family. Casting her own sister in her second-ever role (the first was the short film) is an experiment that pays off wonderfully, allowing Liz to hone in entirely on how Anna interacts with the world around her. This isn’t the kind of movie that involves a large ensemble cast or flashbacks to show exactly what might have happened when these two sisters were younger, and so audiences are entirely dependent on what they see in the moment to understand the greater context to what has shaped how these two are as adults.
The core cast around Anna is well-curated, with Ahn playing a more straightforward and serious role that doesn’t feature some of the wittiness that has pervaded her recent TV characters on The Diplomat and Agatha All Along. She’s more than up for the task and delivers a reliable turn that allows Anna to shine while still making Emily feel like a three-dimensional person with her own universe that exists far beyond Anna’s. Hugot, probably best known for The Leftovers and 30 Rock, and Slezak, a dependable actor who has been working for decades, complete the ensemble with understated performances that speak to the mix of joy and frustration they feel as people who have chosen to become parents, perhaps not fully considering or comprehending what that would ultimately entail.
This film will surely resonate with a wide variety of audiences who can relate to any portion of its story and the characters portrayed within it. As a filmmaker, Liz demonstrates great attention to detail and a seemingly gentle hand that allows scenes to play themselves out without feeling rushed or overstuffed. This is, above all, an intimate family drama about what it means to grow up and deal with change, and everyone involved helps to create a poignant and affecting experience highlighted by Anna’s star-making performance.
Movie Rating: 8/10
Take Me Home premieres in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
