Empty the House

Houston, 1995. Following a self-imposed estrangement of ten years, Faith returns to the small suburban house in which she grew up, to help her mother, Brenda, move out. Over the course of three days, mother and daughter pack up articles of the house into boxes, argue with each other, and share silent dinners, as time alternates between childhood and adulthood to reveal current and past recriminations and regrets. Faith accuses her mother of abuse for leaving her alone in the basement of their home while she was away and for abandoning her brother Paul when he was mortally ill with AIDS, while Brenda seeks forgiveness from her daughter for her inadequacy as a mother after her husband left her. As Faith leaves in the final scene, Paul returns as a presence to offer his mother solace and reassurance.