Saving Grace B. Jones (2009) User Reviews (11)

I WAS PRETTY ONCE

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 7 December 2018]

PLOT SPOILER REVIEW.

This is based on a true story: Connie Stevens once read a Steinbeck novel. The beginning of the film introduces Carrie, a 10 year old girl (Rylee Fansler) whose function is to supply some needless narration. She is not a major character in the film and I kept wondering how she was going to fit into the scope of things with Grace (Tatum O'Neal).

Landy (Michael Biehn) has the patience of a saint as he takes in Carrie and decides now would be a good time to get his "crazy" sister to come home against the wishes of the asylum. Grace causes issues, not unlike a Steinbeck novel we all know and love. The film introduces religion into the film which didn't seem to have a point, as did the film itself.

The film was long and slow. It was like watching the rain come down...which we did. The adult performances were spectacular. Michael Biehn was unrecognizable from his normal "B' acting role. Tatum was Oscar worthy consideration. The girls left something to be desired. Too bad Dakota Fanning had to grow up.

Overall, this was a tiresome film by Connie Stevens, who I enjoy more in front of the camera than behind.

No F-bombs or nudity. Brief sex/love scene.

A troublingly positive bit of engineered emotional buzzzz in a religious frame

[jcuddylamoree · 6/10 · 5 April 2020]

I thought I was going to get diabetic acidosis from the ultra sweet and religious context that lead me to expect Grace's problems were going to be explained away, so I was somewhat relieved that events took a serious twist. It's hard to imagine how such a family could have dealt with what Grace actually was and it feels like that fact was used to justify de facto euthanasia, further rationalized by Grace's own supposed desire to die.

Some missing context details, such as how Grace had been institutionalized for so long as the result of an accident and why, exactly, her brother suddenly decided to "do the right thing" by bringing her to his home and family, a question even more emphasized by his sudden reversal at the end, all contribute to the manipulative feel of this move. I can imagine plausible connections to fill in the holes left by these questions, but there's nothing in the story as the movie presents it to support those hypotheticals, leaving viewers with a case for euthanasia, or Social Darwinism, which, if you're predisposed to support you would likely favor this movie for that effect. However, if you're predisposed to oppose those kinds of rationalizations, this move looks like propaganda with a religious buzzz.

Manipulative

[MtnShelby · 3/10 · 21 April 2014]

I am usually very forgiving of B-grade films. I don't mind a good old- fashioned syrupy love story now and then, or some half-baked horror tale about a woman in some remote location fighting to save her family's haunted B&B . . . but this film . . . wow, I really can't forgive this one. It is so grossly manipulative, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, from the acting to the writing to the rainstorms of Biblical proportions. I didn't know if I was watching a Hallmark film, some silly Nickelodeon episode, or a cheap horror flick. The children are as cloying as marshmallow peeps (did no one work with these young actors, or did they just stuff them with cupcakes and candy and set them in front of the camera?). The adults--actors, director, and screen writer--didn't fare much better. I just felt bashed in the head at every turn--too much too much too much. (Towards the end of the film Penelope Miller has one of the most atrocious rain-soaked speeches I have ever seen.)

I did enjoy and appreciate Tatum O'Neal's performance. While I understand some of the harsh criticism regarding her portrayal of a severely emotionally disturbed woman, I found it to be heart breakingly realistic in the main. Of course she would drift around, half awake, half alive, twitchy and flaky and completely insecure. I actually felt sorry for this character. While I don't know how much of the story is entirely based on real events, surely placing Grace in her brother's home with his happy camper family, across the street from her former husband and his bubbly preggers wife, then given the glamorous job of sewing the baby's quilt and creating a mile-high lemon meringue pie of a ballgown for a 10 year old attending a military ball (a horrible and unnecessary story line, on several counts). . . I mean, if this is what her life has become, who wouldn't break out the sharp objects?

Connie Stevens Should Stick to Singing

[Ladybbird · 1/10 · 28 December 2012]

This had the makings of a good movie, but was thoroughly spoilt by the bad directing and terrible acting. One or two could act reasonably well, the rest were awful and so was the music score.

I had the feeling that Connie Stevens, cast the parts to friends and family, and used her choice of music from the past. She also wrote the story line and directed....that says it all.

Tatum O'Neal was dreadful and her terrible acting destroyed the movie.

Such a shame because the storyline had the makings of a good movie

I think the first review (and only other one), was posted by one of the team from the movie.

Terrible waste of time.

[tigerandcamille · 1/10 · 4 August 2013]

We gave this movie a chance because we felt sorry for Tatum O'Neill trying to make a comeback. But we were let down. Her speaking parts were few and far between and the plot was non-existent. The whole story is she is the crazy sister that just got out of mental hospital. Children in this movie were beyond annoying and pointless to the film. The trailer made it seem like a thriller but it could not have been less.

We regret the $6 dollars we paid to watch this on pay-per-view. This movie reminds me of Oprah Winfrey's Beloved, an unintentional comedy because it is so ridiculous with over the top acting and a stupid story.

Stayed with me

[regolden · 7/10 · 6 February 2020]

Growing up in Kansas I have known real families who suffered tragedy in similar ways. It is a step back in time. Three of the four kids tended to over act but otherwise the acting is very good and the story haunted me long after. Give it a chance. I think some reviewers missed the point. Connie was simply sharing a story based on her childhood experience. Ironically sent away to keep her safe in rural Missouri after a traumatic witnessing of a horrible act in the big Apple. There is tragedy everywhere. It's slow paced but it makes it seem real and I don't understand the reviews that say they weren't touched by the story. It's really about a family's suffering which no one ever deserves but is part of life.

Meh...

[Andystar77 · 3/10 · 10 October 2021]

Well this film is so hard to explain in one word, you can't say it's great, good or even bad. Let's say at least it complicated.

The director who has been working as actress in the film industry for such a long time decided at 70 to become a director!!!

There's nothing wrong to fullfil your dreams at any age, but u have do it right not in a harsh way!!!

The biggest problem with this film was the cutting , yep the cutting was very very bad you feel most of the time that They put a five year old kid to do the job: for example on one scene two are talking outside and all the sudden there clothes are wet due to the rain which wasn't there in the first shot!!! And another scene after bringing Grace to home we suddenly see her outside the House without showing us how she went to the house how her brother ( Michael biehn) introduced her to his wife showing her his house, her room, nothing at all !!! ( and this was supposed to be and important scene!!!) There's also a stupid ideas i mean if u want to take ur sister, brother from the asylum is it logical to talk children with you to a place like that!!!!

As for the actors all of them were okay but the leading characters were bad.

Tatum O Neal who played grace was so bad she wanted to gave us a character like blanche dubois, but she's far away from the character, her character was so painfully to watch and all the time i thanked God that Stanley Kowalski wasn't there because he would killed her in a sec ( and he thought that blanche was nuts !!!) Grace's brother played by (Michael biehn) was so weak he couldn't gave us any right emotions for any scene although he played a lot of complicated roles such as (deadly intentions, in a shallow grave ) but here he kinda lost!!! He is also so old for the part.

The only one who played her to role well was Rylee Fansler the girl who was the started the film and ended it.

Conclusion just ignore this film it doesn't Worth your time.

Very disappointing

[telemarkh · 3/10 · 7 September 2017]

I found this movie very disappointing. The most emotion it elicited was an occasional unhappy head shake at (character's) disregard and ignorance. The story based on an actual situation in the 50's having a brother's extraordinary compassion to get his sister out of an insane asylum, the inhumane treatment of mental illness/brain damage and heartbreaking events; this film should have been a real tearjerker. Not saying it was bad just remarkably ineffectual. I should have had tears streaming, sobbed even at one tragedy after another and instead my throat never closed or had even one slightly moistened eye moment. Nada (and I've choked up with Reach Out and Touch commercials.)

Is there hope for the lost?

[Grizeus · 8/10 · 21 September 2011]

I didn't know what to expect when walking into this film, other than that Connie Stevens created it with many others including Tatum O'Neal as the lead actress and Michael Biehn as lead actor. I came out of the theater realizing I had just witnessed a great and legendary picture, with the second greatest performance I have ever had a chance to see. Connie Stevens was sitting directly behind me, as were two of the young actresses who helped bring real life into this film. "Grace" starts out very innocently. We learn that Michael Biehn's character is brother to a woman named Grace who has spent the last two decades confined in a mental hospital. And then we see Tatum O'Neal as Grace, and one can tell this is an extraordinary performance from the very first shot of her. After years of turmoil and bargaining, Grace is finally released back into society into Michael's home where he lives with his wife and daughter, and her friend Carrie played by Rylee Fansler. From the beginning though, this is all Rylee's experience in living with her friend and her family, and her character, Carrie, is based entirely on Connie Stevens; this film was a real part of her life. Grace was a part of her life, and as we learn, not in a truly positive way. As Grace struggles to adjust, the weather is looking grim, and a historical flood causes mass conflict for all. Can Grace cope, or will her actions lead her into the darkest of places? Tatum O'Neal, many blessings to you. She was perfect in her performance and thrilling throughout. The second half of this film is extremely darker than the first, and for that reason I urge everyone to see this film as it heads into theatres and watch the film in its entirety. I hope to see more from Connie Stevens and an Academy Award nomination for Tatum O'Neal, she deserves the best.

Good Movie

[doodlesjr-896-698684 · 10/10 · 7 April 2018]

I thought this was a great movie, very sad story to say the least, seems that Grace was brought home to be ignored, not included. Tatum O'Neal,Michael Biehn,Penelope Ann Miller, the entire cast brought me back in time, to a lost era,I would have preferred to have grown up in the 1950's vs what we have now, simple, wholesome life, Similar to Loving Vincent, If your a little crazy or you have family members who are the same, we'll this is worth watching, honestly If your not a little crazy your missing out, lol

Deep...

[RosanaBotafogo · 10/10 · 16 May 2020]

Lousy dubbing, but the script, the story based on real events, very moving, in the end it hurt my soul the pain of that father, brother, husband, how many losses ... Wonderful film by actress Connie Stevens who at 74, makes her debut in the direction with a semi-autobiographical film ... Touching, deep, touching, left me with that little pain in my heart at the end, little films touch me so deeply ... Deep ...