This is the film of the century for wounded warriors like myself who survived severe childhood trauma and chaos. I sat down in the theater and it was over in a blink.
I sobbed in more than a couple of places and left in a state of shock that lasted for hours. For "civilians," this masterful bio- flick will not be such a monumental achievement, for they lack a frame of reference. The sting of a hornet is an abstract notion for those who've never been stung. But for the rest of us..., wham!
Casting: Excellent, especially the roles of Jeannette and her father, Rex. The child roles were very effective, especially those of Jeannette.
Acting: Brilliant by Brie and Woody, who channeled Jeannette and Rex The Rosemary (mother of Jeannette) role was believable but didn't convey the degree of maternal indifference in the book. Woody seemed overweight for the role, but his mannerisms and speech delivery made up for it. He had several strong moments, but I expect his rendition of Rex's delirium in his Herculean struggle to quit drinking will be shown on Oscar night.
Script: Well done. Jeannette's story unfolds in overlapping flashbacks, starting when Jeannette as an accomplished adult writer in New York. Very effective for the way it emulates the consciousness of someone wrestling with their traumatic history but challenging for those who crave a simplistic plot line.
Setting: There are three main settings--New York City, Arizona and Virginia mountains (or similar "hillbilly" country). The Arizona desert scenes lacked the full brilliance of the sweeping sunsets and nighttime Milky Way galaxy that I recall. The scenes in New York and Virginia were confined as well, but effective.
Themes: Triumph over the effects of alcoholism, parental neglect, pedophilia and the resiliency of children in the face of parental dysfunction.
Key Dialog: "We have to stick together," teenage Jeannette to her siblings.
Suggestion: Read the book first. Jeannette's an excellent writer.
This complicated, emotionally draining film owes much of its high effectiveness to the fact that it is a true story, proving that fiction cannot compete with the harrowing reality of well rendered truth.
I sobbed in more than a couple of places and left in a state of shock that lasted for hours. For "civilians," this masterful bio- flick will not be such a monumental achievement, for they lack a frame of reference. The sting of a hornet is an abstract notion for those who've never been stung. But for the rest of us..., wham!
Casting: Excellent, especially the roles of Jeannette and her father, Rex. The child roles were very effective, especially those of Jeannette.
Acting: Brilliant by Brie and Woody, who channeled Jeannette and Rex The Rosemary (mother of Jeannette) role was believable but didn't convey the degree of maternal indifference in the book. Woody seemed overweight for the role, but his mannerisms and speech delivery made up for it. He had several strong moments, but I expect his rendition of Rex's delirium in his Herculean struggle to quit drinking will be shown on Oscar night.
Script: Well done. Jeannette's story unfolds in overlapping flashbacks, starting when Jeannette as an accomplished adult writer in New York. Very effective for the way it emulates the consciousness of someone wrestling with their traumatic history but challenging for those who crave a simplistic plot line.
Setting: There are three main settings--New York City, Arizona and Virginia mountains (or similar "hillbilly" country). The Arizona desert scenes lacked the full brilliance of the sweeping sunsets and nighttime Milky Way galaxy that I recall. The scenes in New York and Virginia were confined as well, but effective.
Themes: Triumph over the effects of alcoholism, parental neglect, pedophilia and the resiliency of children in the face of parental dysfunction.
Key Dialog: "We have to stick together," teenage Jeannette to her siblings.
Suggestion: Read the book first. Jeannette's an excellent writer.
This complicated, emotionally draining film owes much of its high effectiveness to the fact that it is a true story, proving that fiction cannot compete with the harrowing reality of well rendered truth.