NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! Adult Children marks the sophomore feature-length film from both director Rich Newey and screenwriter Annika Marks. The dramedy stars Ella Rubin as Morgan, a high school student struggling with her college admissions essay. She’s also going down the list of all the bases, with the possible exception of home, before she starts college. Her parents, Mimi (Mimi Rogers) and Ben (Coburn Goss), have arranged a wonderful summer trip to Paris for the three of them. But when Morgan’s decades-older half-brother, Josh (Thomas Sadoski), has a mental breakdown and relapses, it threatens to derail the trip, though Mimi and Ben still really want to go.
So, they enlist Morgan’s older half-sisters, Lisa (Betsy Brandt) and Dahlia (Aya Cash), to return home from the other side of the country and act as babysitters. The college-bound young lady sees this as a perfect opportunity to really get to know this side of her family and opts not to go to Paris. It is soon revealed that helping Josh is only part of the reason Lisa and Dahlia came, as they are dealing with very complicated aspects of adulthood. And taking care of Josh is harder than it seems, as the man seems to have a supernatural ability to score and hide drugs.
Adult Children is both sweet and affirming, yet realistic about life. It is messy, not everything has a bow tied to it, and no one adult has all the answers. The three full siblings discuss how Mimi was just a child herself (not literally) when she had them and messed up a lot, or wasn’t around in the right way. The scene is played mostly straight, with only the end of the story having a punchline — sweet, messy, real. The way Lisa dismisses Morgan as only a child, only to describe her later on as an adult when it suits her (Lisa), is amusing and reveals how people adjust their language on a whim for their own benefit.
Ella Rubin, Thomas Sadoski, and Betsy Brandt in a waiting room scene from Adult Children.
“…when Morgan’s decades-older half-brother, Josh, has a mental breakdown and relapses, it threatens to derail the trip…”
Newey keeps the pace on the right track. Every scene serves a purpose, whether story-driven or character-driven, and none overextends itself. When everyone learns what actually happened on Josh’s “run,” the chaos is understandable and hilarious. The scene where Morgan and her siblings fall asleep outside is wonderfully filmed and highlights just how understated and natural a comedy or drama needs to look to feel authentic.
Rubin is amazing as the confused but well-meaning teen. She’s inquisitive but a little annoying, fun but a bit of a killjoy. It is hard to walk such a line and not go over the top, but the actor does. Sadoski turns Josh into more than just a druggie at rock bottom. He is very wise when lucid, and the actor makes him likable, even if he always makes the wrong decision. Brandt turns the rigid persona on its head and actually proves to have a heart. Next to Rubin, Cash is the beating heart of the story and nails the complicated part brilliantly. She and Rubin play off each other with ease, and their scenes together are the best of the entire 100-minute runtime.
Adult Children is funny and dramatic in equal measure. The characters are so well-written and real that they leap off the screen into viewers’ hearts. The cast is exceptional in every way, especially Rubin and Cash, whose sibling chemistry is undeniable. This is a must-watch for fans of coming-of-age tales, dysfunctional family comedies, and engaging dramas. It literally has something for everyone.
Adult Children screened at the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival.
"…[Cash] and Rubin play off each other with ease, and their scenes together are the best of the entire 100-minute runtime."
