Miss Meadows (2014) User Reviews (122)

Dark and quirky but very watchable

[perkypops · 7/10 · 7 October 2015]

A tap dancing vigilante may seem an impossible idea to turn into a comprehensible script but somehow Karen Leigh Hopkins makes it work. The opening sequence of the film makes it clear that Miss Meadows (Holmes) is no ordinary school teacher cum vigilante, with victim number one clocked very early after the title sequence. Holmes does a great job of making Miss Meadows seem the epitome of eccentricity, with, apparently, carefully created, precisely drawn and meticulously manicured manners, even at the point of the kill.

Throughout the plot are moments of blissful dialogue intertwined with pauses, telling looks, and, it has to be said, the incongruous, but it does hang together if you stick with it. There are continuity blunders in more than one scene, and occasional poor editing, but these do not stop the film from being surprisingly engrossing. The acting is rather good too, especially from James Badge Dale (the Sheriff) and Ava Kolker (Heather). There are memorable scenes like dancing to an unseen and unheard accordion in a field which make this film a little like an old fashioned fairy tale or a fable, but the message is totally adult in content, and should leave you thoughtful by the end.

A film like few others which is going to be underrated and under exposed. It is better than it will score on places like 1Mbd.

Katie Holmes

[btreakle · 7/10 · 23 September 2020]

I thought this movie was underrated and I love Katie Holmes and James badge Dale and Jean smart. I thought ahead of next week's lot very cute. This is one you don't wanna let get away I like it.

A Good Watch

[unclet-30169 · 6/10 · 20 May 2020]

Entertaining little vigilante tale with a quirky twist. The only movie I've seen with Katie Holmes that didn't make me want to stop the flick. A Good Time Waster.

Miss Meadows sizzles & pops as a well-mannered teacher/vigilante with a .25 & an agenda

[knoxiii · 14 November 2014]

Miss Meadows is a well-mannered teacher/vigilante with a .25 & an agenda. It is similar to a dark Mary Poppins replete with conversations with blue jays, insisting on proper grammar, tap dancing, & even a bit of accordion playing. For me that's where the similarities end & Miss Meadows carves her niche in cult films. This movie was produced by & stars Katie Holmes & cost a mere $2 Million to make. It is an absolute goldmine in that regard. Audiences will absolutely love it!

Katie Holmes stars as Miss Meadows, who seems to bring the 1950's back with saddle shoes, tap dancing, classic cars, classic dress, & classic values. Her past is slowly & deliberately revealed, just as she is methodical & deliberate in her hobbies of knitting, gardening, & being the best dressed vigilante in film history. Her character is extremely well- formed & complex with a mind for deep philosophical thought & extreme literalism in conversation. She is fearless, flawed, & emotionally damaged, yet an absolute delight on screen!

Surrounded by children & a courting sheriff may not be the ideal circumstances for a vigilante to dispense justice, but it only serves to add to the tension & suspense, as you will no doubt be won over by Miss Meadows & root for her success. Katie Holmes becomes her character & shows she can cry on cue. Her character is in flux with her view of the world as unsafe, yet displays an unrelenting optimism that one must try to do good. Katie Holmes carries the film single-handedly as the drop dead gorgeous heroine who cleans up the neighborhood & manages to win the hearts of adversaries, children, & most importantly, the audience. What a great movie that men & women will enjoy equally! I rate this movie a strong 8/10 stars. The only thing that would have made it even better would have been a strong supporting cast with rounded important characters. But, as is, it is plenty strong enough to stand on it's own.

Knox D. Alford, III

Good role, not so good script

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 24 January 2016]

I'm happy for Katie Holmes that she got a role, that might seem one sided or one dimensional on the outside, but is actually pretty meaty on the inside. And she has fun playing that character obviously. Unfortunately the movie or rather the script itself is not so good. It can't keep up with the pace and quality of the character.

It's a weird movie nonetheless and it's very violent while innocent looking. If you don't mind that split, which actually makes the difference to other movies, you will enjoy this. It's not about being right (though you couldn't argue the values), but about how or if one should act upon those values ... Not that the movie will leave you thinking too much ... It's supposed to be entertainment after all

A pleasant outing with Miss Meadows

[clarkmick33 · 7/10 · 17 March 2015]

I did not really know what to expect on my outing with Miss Meadows. The cover art is probably a bit misleading as it is more of a day in the life of Miss Meadows rather than a woman going out of her way to kill men type film.

Katie Holmes did a perfect job as Miss Meadows I think the casting was spot on. It was a delight to hear here use of "proper" English which contrasted well with the run down neighborhood in which she occupies. Katie did a great job displaying the playful and innocent Miss Meadows.

The film touches on many things including - love, optimism, being naive, mental illness, relationships developing despite mental illness.

Miss Meadows comes along as a delightful character with no-nonsense justice served. A good escapist film. The word play is akin to a Wes Andersen movie (think Grand Budapest Hotel)

So pick up your top hat, grab a picnic basket and go on a stroll with the delightful Miss Meadows.

struggles to find the right tone

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 8 July 2015]

Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is a nice prim substitute grade school teacher on the outside but she is something more underneath the facade. She kills criminals on the side and talks to her mother (Jean Smart) on the phone. She starts dating the local sheriff which conflicts with her extra-curricular activities. The sheriff gets suspicious but asks her to marry him as soon as she tells him that she's pregnant.

Filmmaker Karen Leigh Hopkins has filled this with a lot of quirkiness but none of it is funny. It doesn't work as a black comedy. All the quirky keeps the movie from going truly dark. There is also a lack of intensity especially considering the killings. This should be either much darker or more surreal. This feels like it's a step away from being a good interesting movie.

Very strange

[Emma_Marie29 · 6/10 · 17 August 2020]

It was very strange but I enjoyed it. It was exactly what I was in the mood for. If you like the trailer, you'll probably like the movie in an odd way. If you don't like the trailer you might skip this one.

Great concept for a main character, but a pretty uninspired movie.

[colleenpryoritize · 4/10 · 22 November 2014]

The idea of a saccharine sweet, Mary Poppins-esque school teacher leading a double life as a gun-toting vigilante is a great starting off point for a subversive black comedy.

Unfortunately, "Miss Manners" never gets very far past this strong basic idea. It's not funny enough to work as a black comedy, not interesting or dynamic enough to work as a straight character study/drama, not weird or brave enough to work as a David Lynchian suburban fable and not exciting, action-packed, or shocking enough to work as a cult/horror/fun/late-night/midnight madness type movie. It seems to be kind of aiming for all of those targets, but ends up hitting none of them. The result, despite the promising premise, is a very bland, vanilla, and ultimately pretty uninteresting movie.

Katie Holmes is perfectly fine in the leading role and seems to pull off this kind of character very well. The problem isn't her or her character but the fact that they really don't give her very much to do or really any interesting obstacles to face.

The story unfolds very predictably and we don't get any kind of dynamic examination of this main character beyond the reveal of her very cliché and completely expected back story.

It all feels very paint-by-numbers, very black and white, and ends up feeling pretty tame. A movie like this needs to have real teeth and attitude behind it and this film really has zero of either. The main character is never put in any interesting moral predicaments or forced to make any tough choices, and that's really an essential element in a story like this one.

Like I said, I really liked the set up and concept of this movie and even the introduction of the film;s main character--but was ultimately disappointed with the bland and lackluster way they were handled.

Sweet, Dark and Entertaining!

[Movie-Misfit · 6/10 · 29 December 2014]

The trailer for Miss Meadows is quite captivating. Why else would we watch a Katie Holmes movie?

So it was with great pleasure last night, that my husband and I got to see the full film.

Starting off with a fun little scene that highlights some Disney princess qualities, humored by some twisted dark comedy, we are soon drawn into the secret little world of Miss Meadows, a primary school substitute teacher who moonlights as a small town vigilante happy to clean up the streets and look pretty doing it!

There is enough decent scenes to keep you watching, although while I felt myself drifting off half way through, my husband was wide eyed and hooked. Personally, I thought it would make an incredible short film.

With its description you would imagine some great action and violence, almost like the female version of the Equalizer, but instead and quite obviously in the hands of a lady director, we get a toned down version with more dark humor on kills and a very artsy looking film with plenty of drama.

Miss Meadows is not perfect by any means, but it is a fun film to watch and definitely worth a go...

Enjoy!

I wasn't buying the relationship at all.

[LincolnSixEko · 4/10 · 28 July 2022]

2 people completely different from one another end up going out, having sex one time, having a baby and...getting married? And one of them is a cop? How long did they know each other before they got married, a couple weeks???

And the movie is 90 minutes but moves so sloooooooow. Katie Holmes did a great job but there's really not a whole lot going on.

Justice served with a spoonful of sugar

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 1 December 2020]

Prim'n'proper school teacher Miss Meadows (a delightful portrayal by the adorable Katie Holmes) also just happens to be a vigilante who's dedicated to ridding the world of evildoers. Complications ensue after Miss Meadows falls in love with the sheriff (likeable James Badge Dale) of the small town that she's recently moved into.

Writer/director Karen Leigh Hopkins relates the enjoyably offbeat story at a constant pace, maintains an utterly beguiling quirky tone, nicely evokes a pleasant small town atmosphere, presents a neat array of colorful characters, and spices things up with amusing touches of wickedly funny dark humor along with a few surprisingly poignant moments. With her white gloves and socks, pretty dresses, black tap shoes, impeccable sense of grace and decorum, and persistently perky demeanor, Holmes as Miss Meadows makes for a charmingly kooky anti-heroine. Moreover, there are sturdy supporting contributions from Jean Smart as Miss Meadws' equally well-mannered mother, Mary Kay Place as cheery neighbor Mrs. Davenport, Ava Kolker as sweet little girl Heather, Callan Mulvey as skeezy ex-con Skylar, and Graham Beckel as creepy sexual predator Tony Weaver. Further enhanced by Jeff Cardoni's bouncy score and Barry Markowitz's bright cinematography, this film overall rates as a total idiosyncratic treat.

Loved it!

[fearandloathing-51843 · 7/10 · 24 January 2016]

Let me start by saying this: Katie Holmes shined in this film. Her acting performance was really well done. The whole talking to her mother on the phone in a few scenes really added the whole effect to who she is, what she might of been through and that she might be crazy. Her mother is dead, so she wasn't really talking to her mom, it's her way of expressing her feelings. Her one sentence did make me think allot, aren't we supposed to forgive these people? Her "mother" replied with some things just are unforgivable. She killed people who were sick not that it was her choice to make but sometimes I wish I could go kill all those sick people who abuse and abuse. She never gave herself away. It could of been longer, or they should make a squeal. I liked the darkness in this movie, also it kept me entertained and interested. Katie Holmes is truly a beautiful actress who had a break through in my opinion because she has never really been in good films except for this one.

Interesting idea, bad execution

[gere-c · 4/10 · 6 September 2021]

Miss Meadows tries to be what Promising Young Woman manages to achieve with mastery years later, but here is missing. A more captivating and less irritating (more real) character, as well as a more satisfying development of the story, are missed.

Wonderful central performance lifts a mundane script

[johnklem · 6/10 · 31 January 2015]

I've always liked what little of Katie Holmes' work I've seen. It seemed to me that she had an interesting quality that most critics either missed or ignored. Miss Meadows is proof that the lady is a serious actress of real depth and nuance. The eponymous heroine is a brilliant creation brought to life, and then some, by Holmes' performance. I can't stress this enough. This is a serious piece of work by the actress and in a better film might have led to all kinds of accolades. Here she's let down by the TV movie sensibilities of the script and of the casting. In some ways this is a brave movie, venturing into territory more frequently occupied by the French. Here though, the filmmakers don't seem to have understood the power of their creation and have opted for the safety of the known, the cliché. The supporting cast is similarly compromised. Holmes needed to have been surrounded by top class talent, capable of elevating their characters beyond the written page. It didn't happen and the moment has passed. One of the best, most complete female characters that American cinema has produced has been consigned to the scrap heap and Jennifer Jason Leigh's famous quote seems as true today as it was twenty years ago.

what a fun wacky movie

[mompaxton-481-121381 · 7/10 · 19 August 2015]

I am not a fan of Katie Holmes as an actress. She has yet to be casted in a role that she can "pull off" until now. This role must have been written for her because I honestly can't think of another actress that could have pulled it off. She plays the perfect, proper psychopath. it was amazing how this film worked, it had the perfect blend of dark humor, sweetness, cute kids, crazy wardrobe and witty writing. It was almost a British comedy with the dark humor. I really liked it.

The film was well casted, the writing was good, the wardrobe was awesomely hilarious, and I do believe it could probably have a sequel if done in the same manner.

Pop some popcorn and give if a watch, you won't be disappointed. toodle loo.

I Was Wanting So Much More.

[freshclean-66-318608 · 5/10 · 17 March 2015]

This film wasn't what I was expecting. I thought this was going to be some off the chain Charles Bronson Death Wish stuff. For a vigilante film it didn't have enough action. The concept of this film was nice, a young, pretty, and naïve looking school teacher violently protecting the neighborhood she lives in. The writers of this film didn't use the 'looks can be deceiving' vigilante thing to the fullest. There isn't too much that would have made this film better. Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) could have had more bad guys to confront, that alone would have brought on many more challenges and situations for the main character. I mean look at The Brave One with Jodie Foster, that's what this film should have been like. There were a couple of things in this film I did like. I liked when a double entendre is thrown at her or when someone is being sarcastic with her she would take it literally and the over the phone relationship she had with her mother. I know this film probably wasn't meant to be an action film, but it would have helped. After all, Miss Meadows is a vigilante.

Wow! One out of so many!

[alshwenbear1 · 7/10 · 14 November 2014]

How hard is to find a good, good movie?

Before the ending my thoughts revolved about one thing: how to review this little gem?

Last time an actress impressed me so much was in (1980), when Gina Rowlands played the central character in "Gloria", never the less both characters are alike and so different at the same time! Cathy Holmes deserve recognition for being sweet and though,kind and "mean" lovingly and heartless.

Certainly do not expect "Death Wish" there's no Charles Bronson in here...just a very feminine vigilante, that I just wished that would have walk towards the sunset and be happy...

I think I got my ten lines so, I just have to say: This is a movie that won't disappoint!

Any chance for a prequel?

Pulled me in, left me cold

[Billy1976 · 5/10 · 15 August 2020]

The idea of Katie Holmes as a prim, proper vigilante turns out to be less fun than I imagined. I wanted more of cold-blooded Katie taking revenge and less of her gardening.

Miss Jean Brody meets Death Wish

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 6/10 · 2 August 2015]

Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is an elementary school teacher with an apparent heart of gold. She also has a zero tolerance approach to ne'er do wells and exacts righteous justice using a hand gun. Then she starts a relationship with the town's sheriff (James Badge Dale) and her whole life gets turned upside down which leads her to face up to the past as the inevitability of the future looms ever nearer.

Now I rather enjoyed this 'quirky' film, it has a sort of charm and is very stylish – especially Miss Meadows – she even has 'clothes on sex', but is has been criticised for being right wing. The idea that there is only one way to deal with wrong doers and that is by taking a leaf out of Draconia's handbook.

The way it is presented does have a hint of unbelievability about it and I thought it may have been a spoof like say 'Super' nearly was. It though does not play for laughs or satire and is a basic relationship film and so does not mange to hit the right notes – which is a pity as everyone in it does a really good job and it is an easy and a short watch. If in doubt go for rentals this is not one that will benefit from subsequent viewings.

The film missed its mark

[Marc_Action · 5/10 · 26 December 2020]

Katie Holmes does a great job in her role as a rosy, yet detached substitute teacher that educates her young students on manners during school hours, but transforms into a ruthless vigilante killer after work (well, mostly).

Only, I wish the plot was as great. Matter fact, this film doesn't really have a plot. We basically just follow our protagonist around throughout the film as if only to bear witness to her lonely and eccentric lifestyle. Of course, Miss Meadows' idiosyncrasies does lead to the unintentional meeting of the Sheriff character played by James Badge Dale--resulting in a rather awkward romance. However, the movie spends entirely too much time on this subplot rather than the actual vigilante part, which it seems the director purposely glosses over for whatever reason.

For one, her three individual targets are all one-dimensional bad guys who appear on screen probably a combined four minutes total before they are instantly taken out by our protagonist with a paltry .25-caliber handgun that she whips out of an equally minuscule handbag. Listen, I get that Miss Meadows is a dark comedy and all, but given that it's not really a funny movie, more time could have been devoted to fleshing out the vigilante aspect of the film, especially since the "sweat-hearted vigilante" plot was what the studio marketed to the public.

Interestingly enough, the confrontation Miss Meadows has with her new neighbor, Skylar, a recently released child molester, is much more intriguing than any of the scenes where Miss Meadows actually does take out the other three bad guys mentioned above. And while Skylar does play a big part in the climax of this movie, the way in which it was handled seemed very rushed and sloppy.

5 stars for Katie Holmes' acting. She might not get the acclaim of other actresses with K(C)atherine-derivative names such as Kate Winslet or Cate Blanchett, but here Holmes is very charming and has undeniable screen presence.

Surprisingly low rating for such a nice film

[mmiu · 8/10 · 29 January 2015]

I read a couple of negative reviews and I can only conclude that this is one of those times when people have simply different expectations (high or just different) and they are overall too surprised to enjoy the movie as it is. Some say Holmes plays too young character for her actual age, some say the film isn't funny enough, when it should be a dark comedy and some complain the story is too predictable.

Main complaint however is that the storyline fails to develop enough to seem believable, and simply emerges to, quote, off-puttingly bizarre (review on holywoodreporter). I must disagree. This movie would not seem annoyingly odd, if you simply don't watch it with certain expectations, and this actually counts for almost any movie. Forget for a minute you're watching Tom Cruise's ex wife, forget that she's also a co-producer, and just let yourself enjoy the movie. Who says films should be "believable"?! You may treat this movie as a fairy tale and you'll get overwhelmingly fascinated by the tap-dancing, the hairstyle and the costume design in it.

You also may be surprised you actually like Holmes' acting. She plays a woman living in a fantasy world, who starts slowly meeting the reality - but who says she should meet the reality all the way through? She abandons her fairy-tale world for a while, just to fix the things that are too odd, but what's nicely surprising is she doesn't abandon it completely. I would say she plays some sort of an everyday super hero, because she fearlessly helps and saves people in need, but she's is depicted without the clichés for a superhero character, and the film is weird enough, in a nice way, to make us think of this without putting it too obvious.

Another reason to watch this movie is Brenda Abbandandolo's costume design. Miss Meadows' clothes, combined with her hairstyles and maybe the makeup, are the things that make this movie so enjoyable. For any fashion lover, this is a reason alone to watch it. Scenography is also nice, but Katie Holmes in a elegant high waist skirt wearing white gloves and tap-dancing shoes, with cute hair strands and big eyes, this is something completely overwhelmingly cute and sure a reason to love at least a little the film. Her well-illustrated character will make you like the rest of the cast's look - Sheriff's intentionally balding hair, bad guy's evil looking face and his character's overall look - the hair and the dog on a leash.

At last, I suggest if you suspect that you have developed any kind of high expectations for this film, simply skip it. Watch it only without prejudice, and you will enjoy Katie Holmes acting, and Miss Meadows' clothing and hairstyles.

sling blade meets u turn meets Pleasantville

[mikemichaud · 6/10 · 10 January 2016]

What a movie. I watched it without knowing what to expect; the only propaganda I got from it was the cover, I didn't even read or check for synopsis or trailer. A creepy joy ride with lots of not knowing what to expect perhaps not intensely but still. if I had to choose as film only I'd return to this one before bad teacher any day. For me there was no sense of build up to tragedy, just more along the lines of anticipation for revealed layers as the story went.

Not a big fan of crime movies even though I like a lot of them. This one brought an element to it that makes it stand alone, my title of review aside. Did not expect Katie Holmes to do a good job like this.

Moronic

[larrys3 · 1/10 · 27 February 2015]

I imagine this movie was meant to be a dark black comedy, but, to me, it never delivered that and came across as quite moronic and rather atrocious. Obviously, my feelings are going against most of the reviewers here, but that's what films often do, work for some and not others.

Katie Holmes portrays Mary, a psychopathic vigilante determined to rid the world of as many evil-doers as possible, and we find out towards the end of the movie what the trauma was to make her like this. Truly a bizarre character, she'll tap dance down the street in her floral dress, often talking in parables and rhymes, and always saying toodle-oo when ending a conversation. Of course, she's a substitute elementary school teacher and sings in the church choir, but if you are that evil-doer: look out you will be getting lots of lead from that revolver in her purse.

James Badge Dale plays the local Sheriff, Mike, who finds out early on that she's the vigilante the department is looking for. Do we hear wedding bells? In summary, this film just never registered with me as being a dark black comedy, such as "Sightseers", which I saw last year and the lunacy in that movie appealed to me a lot more than this one.

Too quirky for its own good

[Wizard-8 · 27 January 2016]

"Miss Meadows" is a really strange movie. While I was watching it, there were times I was not sure what the point of the entire exercise was supposed to be. I eventually concluded that it was supposed to be a (black) comedy of sorts. But the humorous moments are for the most part really low key, and the movie flirts around with some serious material that doesn't mix very well with the comic material. But there are additional problems with the movie. It's really leisurely paced, with a very slow-evolving story. And despite the story moving at an unswift pace, there are some plot points that are not made to be very clear or are not very well told at all. (For example, the character of the sheriff disappears for an extremely long time before reappearing.) This movie is certainly not for a general audience, and I suspect that even many devotees of independent films might find it more strange than entertaining. Despite what I've just said, I do think that there will be some people who will like this movie. If you are really into strange and offbeat cinema and are willing to put up with some serious shortcomings, then you will *probably* enjoy "Miss Meadows".