Seekers of Infinite Love Review: Hannah Einbinder and Justin Theroux Crack Open Their Hearts in Wonderfully Acted and Hilarious Road Trip

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Novelist Kayla Bachman argues that our relationships with our siblings are often the longest-lasting ones we have. There’s a unique connection between people who are close in age and share the same genes, even if they don’t have much else in common. Anyone with a sibling can probably relate to this feeling—a sense that if something bad happens to them, it feels like it’s happening to you as well.

Victoria Strouse’s first film as director is a heartwarming comedy-drama about family. It gently explores how families communicate – or don’t communicate – with each other. Through the story of four siblings, the film looks at how our ways of thinking, family history, and hidden assumptions shape our conversations. It shows how hard it is to break old patterns, particularly those we learned from our parents and previous generations.

Seekers of Infinite Love Helps Us Question Our Dogmatic Beliefs About Success, Happiness and Communication

Kayla expresses her inner struggles through her writing, but her three siblings deal with things differently. Her older brother, Zach (played by John Reynolds), is a lawyer who hides his feelings and quietly envies his siblings’ more open lives. Her younger brother, Wes (Griffin Gluck), has potential as a graphic novelist, but struggles with gambling and drug addiction. As for her sister, Scarlett (Justine Lupe), she remains an enigma.

Kayla is a talented artist, but she struggles with significant anxiety, a fear of enclosed spaces, and difficulty controlling her impulses. Because of this, even though Zach invited everyone to a meeting on the 34th floor of his office, she refuses to take the elevator and insists on using the stairs – she’s even too anxious to fly.

It doesn’t take long for Kayla and Scarlett’s conversation to feel awkward and strained. Kayla has been avoiding talking to Scarlett for three days, dreading a difficult conversation – she tends to label any emotionally charged topic as “big.” This avoidance could be a serious mistake, as their family recently learned Scarlett has left New York City and joined a cult in Kentucky called Seekers of Infinite Love, led by a man named Hal (Greg Kinnear).

To help things, the parents have brought in Rick Dumont (Justin Theroux), a quirky and charismatic professional who specializes in breaking people out of programming. He’s known for offering folksy advice. Their initial plan to fly is derailed when Kayla has a panic attack, triggered by Wes mistakenly giving her the wrong medication (adderall instead of klonopin). This forces the unlikely group to embark on a road trip in a Honda minivan.

Director Strouse uses a familiar, heartfelt approach – similar to films like Little Miss Sunshine – to cleverly examine our assumptions about how people should talk, and who decides what truly makes someone happy or healthy. It’s easy to see how Scarlett, raised in a family that avoids showing feelings, would be drawn to a group that celebrates openness and connection, even though it’s obvious the leader, Hal, is exploiting his followers for personal gain.

The family’s efforts to rescue Scarlett intensify when they learn the cult is planning a mass suicide during the equinox, believing it will transport them to a higher plane called “The Vessel.” While saving Scarlett is the priority, Wes raises a difficult question: if she appears mentally stable and willingly participates, is intervening the right thing to do? The author isn’t defending cults or their leaders, but uses this situation to explore a broader idea: why do people often believe their own beliefs and way of life are better than others’.

The show truly shines thanks to the incredible performances from its cast. Jean Smart, nearing the end of her Emmy-winning run on Hacks, delivers a nuanced, heartfelt, and honest performance. Justin Theroux is surprisingly hilarious, and manages to make his character feel both realistic and sympathetic. Kyle Reynolds and Lucy Gluck bring a quiet depth to their roles, portraying characters who are reserved and complex, yet reveal their stories through subtle expressions. This is easily one of the strongest ensemble performances at the SXSW festival.

The film’s title might be ironic, suggesting that we’re all seekers – not just the members of the cult. After all, what’s life about if not the desire to be loved and the search for people to love in return? Sometimes we find those connections easily, while other times we have to put in effort. But according to Strouse, neither way is better. The important thing is the seeking itself – as long as we’re looking for connection, it’s out there for everyone.

Seekers of Infinite Love screened at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival.

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2026-03-16 17:18