The Fundamentals of Caring
2016 · Directed by Rob Burnett
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
Having suffered a tragedy, Ben becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor, is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road on a trip into the western states. The folks they collect along the way will help them test their skills for surviving outside their calculated existence. Together, they come to understand the importance of hope and the necessity of true friendship.
What it’s like
Warm, sunlit road-movie colours: wide shots of open highway, dusty motel parking lots, and the bright interiors of a van that becomes a small, shared home. The camera stays mostly unfussy and conversational, settling into two-shots as the odd couple's banter takes the lead, with the western landscapes doing the quiet work between scenes. The mood is gentle, funny and comforting, with a soft melancholy underneath from Ben's grief, which the film handles with a light touch rather than heavy drama. Trevor's jokes come fast and dry, and the rhythm is loose and episodic, like a series of chance encounters strung along a long drive. Crude humour and some bluntly frank talk about disability appear, but there is no real violence, no gore, and little threat; the tension stays emotional and easily held. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or a long evening when you want something kind and funny that still lets you feel something. It is for viewers who want humane, good-hearted comedy about grief and friendship, with the emotional weight never far from the surface.
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