Family Law
Film analysis: 'The Family Stone'
The Stones
Others
- Diane Keaton as Sybil Stone, the family's strong-willed, bohemian matriarch. A breast cancersurvivor, she deals with the recurrence of the fatal illness. Playing the glue that holds the family together, Keaton was the first actor approached to star in the film. With her attachment to the project, Bezucha and London were able to recruit other actors from their wish list.[2] Keaton has stated that she was instantly drawn to her role, as the many layers to Sybil's personality allowed her "to explore so many – often conflicting – emotions."[2]
- Craig T. Nelson as Kelly Stone, Sybil's husband, a college professor in his sixties. Attracted to the role, Nelson felt Kelly was different compared to other patriarchs: "Kelly appears to be the traditional titular head of the Stone household, but it is Sybil who really dominates the family. Despite his low-key personality, Kelly's calming yet offbeat influence on each of his five children is obvious."[2]
- Dermot Mulroney as Everett Stone, Sybil and Kelly's eldest son, a successful Manhattanexecutive. Mulroney found it challenging playing a seemingly over-achieving, submissive character, commenting, "Everett starts out very button-downed and straight-laced, but by the end of the story he returns to his real personality. He is really like the rest of the Stone family: loose and kind of bohemian."[2]
- Luke Wilson as Ben Stone, Everett's brother, a stoner and film editor, living in Berkeley, California. Wilson characterized Ben as a dramatic contrast to his straight-and-narrow brother Everett: "Compared to his siblings, Ben is a loser character. He's the free spirit of the family."[2]
- Elizabeth Reaser as Susannah Stone Trousdale, the Stones' eldest daughter. A stay-at-home mom who has one child, Elizabeth (Savannah Stehlin), she is expecting her second.
- Tyrone Giordano as Thad Stone, the family's youngest son. A deaf and gay architect, who lives in Boston and is contemplating adopting a child with his partner Patrick. Bezucha recruited the services of a sign language teacher who worked closely with each actor in the instruction of American Sign Language during rehearsals and throughout production.[2]
- Rachel McAdams as Amy Stone, the youngest member of the family. Amy is a school teacher pursuing her Masters Degree, who had previously met Meredith and took an immediate dislike to her. McAdams said she felt "drawn to the dramatic arc that Amy goes through, which eventually brings her full circle. She sees herself as honest, not mean, and expresses that uncensored candor in her sardonic wit."[2]
Others
- Sarah Jessica Parker as Meredith Morton, Everett's girlfriend, an uptight, contemporary New York City career woman from Bedford, New York, who initially fails to bond with her boyfriend's family. Cast amid the final season of her HBO series Sex and the City, Parker, who had struggled to find a role that distinguished her from her television character, declared Meredith a breakaway from her previous roles: "She is ... controlling, rigid and tightly wound. When she tries to dig herself out of awkward moments, she only makes matters worse."[2]
- Claire Danes as Julie Morton, Meredith's younger sister, who works at a foundation awarding grants to artists. She arrives with the Stones to provide moral support when her sister's life is in a state of chaos. Danes has stated that the film's delicate balance of comedy and drama challenged the cast to walk a fine line between the two styles.[2]
- Brian J. White as Patrick Thomas, Thad's partner.
- Jamie Kaler as John Trousdale, Susannah's husband and father to Elizabeth and her baby brother
- Paul Schneider as Brad Stevenson, Amy's ex-boyfriend.
- Bryce and Bradly Harris as Baby Gus, the adopted son of Thad Stone and Patrick Thomas.
The concept of 'Family'
The concept of 'Marriage'
The definition of ‘marriage’ (And the 2004 amendments to the Marriage Act 1961)
As noted above, the Marriage Act 1961 now defines marriage as:
‘the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life’.
As noted above, the Marriage Act 1961 now defines marriage as:
‘the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life’.
PM targets gays in marriage law
May 27, 2004 - 2:04PM
Gay couples will be banned from marrying or adopting children from overseas but will be allowed to inherit their partner's superannuation under proposed changes to marriage laws announced today.
Less than an hour after Prime Minister John Howard announced the changes to the Marriage Act, the government rushed legislation enabling the changes into parliament.
Mr Howard said the Marriage Act would be changed to include a definition of marriage as the `voluntarily entered-into union of a man and a woman to exclusion of all others'.
The laws currently do not define marriage.
`We've decided to insert this into the Marriage Act to make it very plain that that is our view of a marriage and to also make it very plain that the definition of a marriage is something that should rest in the hands ultimately of the parliament of the nation,' Mr Howard told reporters.
'(It should) not over time be subject to redefinition or change by courts, it is something that ought to be expressed through the elected representatives of the country.'
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe change would mean that couples could not marry overseas in a country where gay marriage was legal and then hope to have the union recognised on their return to Australia.
Mr Howard also said the Family Law Act would be changed to prevent, where possible, gay couples adopting children from overseas.
`We are also going to amend the legislation to ensure that same sex couples ... will not be eligible as prospective adoptive parents under any multilateral or bilateral agreement concerning the adoption of children to which Australia is a party,' he said.
Superannuation laws will also be changed to expand the definition of a dependant in regards to superannuation death benefits to include people in a financially interdependent relationship.
Mr Howard said the changes would, for example, allow two elderly sisters who lived together and were interdependent to receive each other's superannuation benefits tax free.
`The changes we are announcing today will provide greater certainty for the payment of super death benefits for those involved in interdependency relationships including, of course, members of same sex relationships,' he said.
`The amendments to the definition of dependence will not alter the definition of a spouse and will not specifically recognise same sex relationships.
`As far as the other measures are concerned, the government takes the view that not only is it a statement of its attitude towards marriage but it's also a necessary assertion by the parliament of the country above all others to define what is regarded in our community what is a marriage.'
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the changes to the Marriage Act would protect the institution of marriage, while the Family Law Act changes would make it clear that overseas adoptions by same-sex couples would not be recognised in Australia.
`The government is fundamentally opposed to same-sex couples adopting children,'' Mr Ruddock said in a statement.
May 27, 2004 - 2:04PM
Gay couples will be banned from marrying or adopting children from overseas but will be allowed to inherit their partner's superannuation under proposed changes to marriage laws announced today.
Less than an hour after Prime Minister John Howard announced the changes to the Marriage Act, the government rushed legislation enabling the changes into parliament.
Mr Howard said the Marriage Act would be changed to include a definition of marriage as the `voluntarily entered-into union of a man and a woman to exclusion of all others'.
The laws currently do not define marriage.
`We've decided to insert this into the Marriage Act to make it very plain that that is our view of a marriage and to also make it very plain that the definition of a marriage is something that should rest in the hands ultimately of the parliament of the nation,' Mr Howard told reporters.
'(It should) not over time be subject to redefinition or change by courts, it is something that ought to be expressed through the elected representatives of the country.'
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe change would mean that couples could not marry overseas in a country where gay marriage was legal and then hope to have the union recognised on their return to Australia.
Mr Howard also said the Family Law Act would be changed to prevent, where possible, gay couples adopting children from overseas.
`We are also going to amend the legislation to ensure that same sex couples ... will not be eligible as prospective adoptive parents under any multilateral or bilateral agreement concerning the adoption of children to which Australia is a party,' he said.
Superannuation laws will also be changed to expand the definition of a dependant in regards to superannuation death benefits to include people in a financially interdependent relationship.
Mr Howard said the changes would, for example, allow two elderly sisters who lived together and were interdependent to receive each other's superannuation benefits tax free.
`The changes we are announcing today will provide greater certainty for the payment of super death benefits for those involved in interdependency relationships including, of course, members of same sex relationships,' he said.
`The amendments to the definition of dependence will not alter the definition of a spouse and will not specifically recognise same sex relationships.
`As far as the other measures are concerned, the government takes the view that not only is it a statement of its attitude towards marriage but it's also a necessary assertion by the parliament of the country above all others to define what is regarded in our community what is a marriage.'
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the changes to the Marriage Act would protect the institution of marriage, while the Family Law Act changes would make it clear that overseas adoptions by same-sex couples would not be recognised in Australia.
`The government is fundamentally opposed to same-sex couples adopting children,'' Mr Ruddock said in a statement.
Marriage and De facto Relationships
Did you know you can marry your first cousin in Australia?
Contemporary Issue: Same-Sex Marriage
Below is short video on Same-Sex Relationships. The two girls discuss public reaction to their sexuality and give their opinion on whether they think the laws in America will become consistent across all states.
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Divorce & Separation
Family Law Dispute Resolution
Student created resources
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