jertob

This may seem far out, but this film reminded me of "The Grapes of Wrath" in a modern mode. Consider: the loss of Grandpa; the breakdown of their automobile; the gay brother who regains his self-esteem like the preacher, Jim Casey; the family realizing that they are a strong family unit that can survive the hardships and disappointments they experience. Okay, maybe I'm overdoing it, but I still feel the resemblance. Olive is an accomplished actor and I would be disappointed if she did not appear in more films. This picture is an excellent example of what can be accomplished without the use of phony special effects and when the characters themselves comprise the depth of meaning in the story.

Truth to tell I only watched this movie recently because I consider Susan Sarandon one of our finest actors. Also, I'm going add, one of our sexiest actors too. Ms. Sarandon gets the most from this role by underplaying the part with most of her interpretation deriving from her facial expressions. And, I have to admit, that if she can excite a 70 year-old man with her sexual magnetism as she did me, she has it all over some of the so-called younger sexy actresses. There was one scene that bothered me though, the Thanksgiving dinner scene where Spader's Jewish family is depicted as shallow and bigoted, something like Woody Allen's family in one of his films. Also, why the director ended the picture with that hokey table-top nonsense in a crowded restaurant is beyond understanding. It detracted from the reality of the film.

I wish the ending was worthy of the rest of the film. I appreciated the acting, the characterizations and the plot up to the scenes before the end. It got too schmaltzy and didn't live up to the potential of the rest of the film. To say I didn't enjoy the film would be untrue because it had believable and likeable characters played to the hilt by some very talented actors. Still with its one fault I would rate it an 8 out of 10 which is a lot better than most films being released these days.

I enjoyed seeing this picture again and realised that it was written for a more innocent age and would not be enjoyed by a more sophisticated audience of today. But, if you're into nostalgia and willing to forego your modern day cynicism, you'll delight in seeing this film.