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Family Law

Play trailer Poster for Family Law 2006 1h 42m Drama Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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73% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
An Argentine lawyer and teacher (Daniel Hendler), who has a hard time establishing his own identity, finds it difficult to communicate with his father (Arturo Goetz), a respected barrister, who is a tough role model. Over the years, the two fail to communicate in any meaningful way, until it is too late to repair the damage.
Family Law

What to Know

Critics Consensus

What Family Law lacks in overt drama and conflict, it more than makes us with warm performances and smart, sharp dialogue.

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Critics Reviews

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Ruthe Stein San Francisco Chronicle Feb 23, 2007
3.5/4
A subtly perceptive charmer that was Argentina's entry for a best foreign film Oscar and might have been nominated in a less competitive year. Go to Full Review Jonathan F. Richards Film.com Feb 23, 2007
The lessons of this slight human comedy are not groundbreaking, but they do strike a warmly universal chord. Go to Full Review Ann Hornaday Washington Post Feb 15, 2007
This observant little movie does delicately touch on those unspoken assumptions that animate so many filial relationships. And the wry, soft-spoken tone is a welcome one amid the dysfunctional burlesques Hollywood routinely extrudes. Go to Full Review Beth Accomando KPBS.org Aug 18, 2007
6/10
Family Law has a sweet sense of how families try to interact and connect... There's nothing big about this film but it's filled with small joys and insights. Go to Full Review Eric D. Snider EricDSnider.com Jun 2, 2007
B-
It's a nice film, offering a few smiles and very likable performances. It could stand to have its themes fleshed out a little more, though. Go to Full Review Marta Barber Miami Herald Mar 16, 2007
2.5/4
Full of subtle dark humor that won't make you bend with laughter but certainly may cause you to giggle. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Claudio C @Claudio666 Dec 26, 2025 Parenthood and Laws (12,154 – 26 Dec 2025) In Buenos Aires, the Jewish widower Bernardo Perelman is a lawyer with a routine life. He has an office where his secretary Norita with a room especially for his son. However, Ariel Perelman is a public defender and professor in a university. He has a crush on his student Sandra and when Sadra quits law school, he looks for her. She is a Pilates trainer, and he begins training with her. When Sandra has a problem with the justice, Ariel offers to help her and asks for help to his father. Soon Ariel and Sandra get married and have a son, Gastón. But Ariel has a bad experience with his father. "Derecho de família", a.k.a. "Family Law" (2006), is a nice movie that goes nowhere. The cast is charismatic, Julieta Díaz and Daniel Hendler show a great chemistry but the story and the screenplay do not help them. My vote is five. Title (Brazil): "As Leis de Família" ("The Gamily Laws") My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ See more Apr 3, 2013 There seems to be a message delivered but just a bit too obscure. See more Mar 8, 2011 intellectually humbling, this argentinian lawyer/professor is navigating through life in such a way that you can't help to sense something missing... are things coming together as he would wish... yes... is he living a privileged life... yes... is he content... hmm... surely something spiritual is going on behind the scenes which is subtly revealed when his highly successful lawyer father begins showing more embrace. See more razvan p @n1mr0d Jan 6, 2011 starts cjut, and drops See more Jul 26, 2010 Perelman... sacate el traje para dormir... See more Apr 5, 2010 Una película latin tierna, nada más. See more Read all reviews
Family Law

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Cast & Crew

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Daniel Burman

Director

Daniel Hendler

Ariel Perelman

Julieta Díaz

Sandra

Arturo Goetz

Bernardo Perelman

Adriana Aizemberg

Norita

Eloy Burman

Gastón

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Family Law

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Movie Info

Synopsis An Argentine lawyer and teacher (Daniel Hendler), who has a hard time establishing his own identity, finds it difficult to communicate with his father (Arturo Goetz), a respected barrister, who is a tough role model. Over the years, the two fail to communicate in any meaningful way, until it is too late to repair the damage.
Director
Daniel Burman
Producer
Diego Dubcovsky, José María Morales
Production Co
BD Cine, Wanda Visión S.A.
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Original Language
Spanish
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Dec 6, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$37.8K
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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