CAUTION -- MAY CONTAIN A SPOILER OR TWO --
This is a film about Mattie Rigsbee, an elderly and religious widow, and how she cares for others in her life. The title comes from a scene near the beginning, after a stray dog shows up and her son (Judge Reinhold) tries to get her to keep it, she says, "I need a dog about as much as I need to take a Walk Across Egypt." So it is fitting that the title of the film is about Mattie herself and her attitudes. The theme is well-worn -- a good person follows his/her beliefs against advice of others and helps save an "at-risk" individual.
At church one Sunday, her minister preaches about helping the less fortunate. So, she starts visiting and bringing cake and iced tea to a 16-yr-old boy in the local correctional facility, referred to as "pre-pen" by the inmates. This young boy had a rough childhood and has become a grifter, with no real concern about anyone else.
He escapes and shows up at her house, saying he is "on leave". She takes him in, and the rest of the film is about how he tries to avoid re-capture, how she has faith in him, how she begins to teach him manners and the subtlties of human interaction.
A funny scene, they were fishing on a dock, she finds out he won't go in the boat because he is afraid of water, so she "teaches" him how to swim by pushing him in. After he trashes around for a minute, and finally realizes he can swim by following the motions she is making with her feet and arms, she says to him, "OK, now you can stop and stand up."
He gets captured, his nemesis is about to get revenge for an earlier fight, when Mattie shows up with papers to take him out and become his guardian. Again, this story is about Mattie and how she acts on what she believes in to make a difference. Ellen Burnstyn is marvelous in this role and carries the film. I rate it a solid "7" of 10 and worth a re-watch both for the fine acting and the entertainment.
This is a film about Mattie Rigsbee, an elderly and religious widow, and how she cares for others in her life. The title comes from a scene near the beginning, after a stray dog shows up and her son (Judge Reinhold) tries to get her to keep it, she says, "I need a dog about as much as I need to take a Walk Across Egypt." So it is fitting that the title of the film is about Mattie herself and her attitudes. The theme is well-worn -- a good person follows his/her beliefs against advice of others and helps save an "at-risk" individual.
At church one Sunday, her minister preaches about helping the less fortunate. So, she starts visiting and bringing cake and iced tea to a 16-yr-old boy in the local correctional facility, referred to as "pre-pen" by the inmates. This young boy had a rough childhood and has become a grifter, with no real concern about anyone else.
He escapes and shows up at her house, saying he is "on leave". She takes him in, and the rest of the film is about how he tries to avoid re-capture, how she has faith in him, how she begins to teach him manners and the subtlties of human interaction.
A funny scene, they were fishing on a dock, she finds out he won't go in the boat because he is afraid of water, so she "teaches" him how to swim by pushing him in. After he trashes around for a minute, and finally realizes he can swim by following the motions she is making with her feet and arms, she says to him, "OK, now you can stop and stand up."
He gets captured, his nemesis is about to get revenge for an earlier fight, when Mattie shows up with papers to take him out and become his guardian. Again, this story is about Mattie and how she acts on what she believes in to make a difference. Ellen Burnstyn is marvelous in this role and carries the film. I rate it a solid "7" of 10 and worth a re-watch both for the fine acting and the entertainment.