A Short History of Decay

Dysfunctional families can be fun – especially if they’re not yours. Writer/Director Michael Maren has brought us A Short History of Decay, based on his original screenplay and marking his directorial debut.

It is the story of Nathan Fisher, played by Bryan Greenberg, a young writer whose career has stalled as well as his life. Comes a call from his brother (Benjamin King) to say his father has been hospitalized and he is off to Florida, not sure what to expect.

Linda Lavin and Harris Yulin are the parents and we can see pieces of our own parents in these two – aging, losing memory, sometimes angry at what life has dealt them, but wonderful and loving and totally entertaining. Nathan begins to realize how he must take control of his own life after watching his parents feel the sadness of growing old.

Maren has a keen eye for the rhythms of family life and an unfailing ear for repartee. Drawing upon elements of his own life, he has produced a film that will affect everyone of any age, whether a parent, a child, or a sibling. The emotions are universal and it’s impossible not to admire Maren and his movie.

A Short History of Decay opens 23 May at the Moviehouse, 48 Main Street, Millerton, NY 12546 | 518-789-3408.