Review: Tangles

Synopsis
A young woman is forced to return to the conservative small town where her bizarre family lives to take care of her mother, having to deal with the cruel reality of her mom’s Alzheimer disease and become the daughter they need.

Tangles is a beautifully animated and deeply moving film that manages to turn a difficult subject into a touching story. Directed by Leah Nelson, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and co-founder of the Emmy Award-winning studio Giant Ant, the film marks her feature directorial debut. Screening at the Ottawa International Animation Festival during its landmark 50th anniversary in 2026, the film stands out as a memorable piece of storytelling.

The animators use soft visuals to balance the heavier themes of memory loss and family strain. It is unique to see an animated film presented in black and white with subtle spots of color used to highlight moments when they matter most emotionally. This artistic choice is reminiscent of the famous red dress in Schindler’s List.

The voice acting is equally impressive, bringing a fantastic ensemble cast to life. Abbi Jacobson leads the way with a grounded, heartfelt performance as the daughter Sarah, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus delivers a deeply moving performance as her mother. They are joined by a stellar supporting voice cast, including Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, and Bowen Yang, who each give their characters a wonderful sense of warmth and realism.

Much like Disney’s Up!, the emotions in Tangles sneak up on you. It starts as a story about returning home, but it quickly turns into an emotional rollercoaster. Watching the daughter adapt to her mother’s fading memory is heartbreaking, yet the film never feels overly dark. The harder moments are balanced by the strange and often hilarious quirks of the various members of the family and creative interstitials, such as the announcements on various plane rides that are used as smooth segues.

Through these lighthearted touches, Tangles delivers a powerful reminder of how hard it can be to care for aging parents. It is a compassionate and gentle film that focuses on love, patience, and acceptance.

Good news for film fans: According to Variety, Independent Film Company (IFC) and its partner Sapan Studio have acquired the North American rights for the film, and plan an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run before the end of 2026, followed by a wider expansion in early 2027, ensuring the film will reach the wider audience it deserves.

More info & links:

• Director: Leah Nelson
• Writers: Sarah Leavitt, Leah Nelson, Trev Renney
• Trev Renney
• Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Bowen Yang
• Tangles on IMDB

Jith Paul

Web Designer, Editor, Film Reviewer

Jith Paul is a communications professional, digital strategist, and filmmaker whose career spans digital systems, platform architecture, and cinematic storytelling. A Waterloo Engineering and Algonquin Television Broadcasting graduate, he founded Treepot Media and co-founded the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival. His award-winning films have screened internationally, including Algebra at Entr’2 marches in Cannes and A Clean Slate, winner of Best Short at Valle d’Itria in Italy. He leads film613, which celebrates local Ottawa–Outaouais screen culture.

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