User Reviews

A rich lonely old woman takes in six homeless people and gives them a home, a job and something much greater. A family. The plot is a little out there, but it works here as we see a rich woman give back to the people who need it more...

At first I was quite sceptical...And feared for Ruth but the film tries to portray the message that 'don't judge a book by it's cover', and in turn; something wonderful is thrown at the audience.

Doris Roberts performance is quite good, she plays her role gently giving Judy Reyes's character the love of a mother, who has been abandoned by her own daughter.

The ending tried to squeeze every last tear out of the audience member which I thought was a little irritating...But it works.

Doris Roberts proves once again that she can do dramatic parts as well as being the mother in the comedy television show with Ray Romano.

In this one, she is a very wealthy woman, whose life has come to a dead end. His suicide attempt is thwarted by a homeless woman. Soon,the Roberts character brings the homeless into her home. They become her therapy. She is doing something productive.

Naturally, her stuck-up daughter can't stand this as well as wealthy neighbor, Beverly Hills condominium developer, Gil Greenberg.

Greenberg takes Roberts to court. When terminal cancer strikes Roberts, who had been in remission, the home is left to the homeless and the daughter assumes a much different attitude.

A wonderful movie since Doris Roberts is so able to depict this wealthy woman who comes to the aid of others.

While it may have a fairy tale quality, it's a wonderful film of the human spirit.

Doris Roberts and Judy Reyes are believable in this movie, and give us hope that perhaps naive goodness can and will help those who are less fortunate.

Their lives are opposite, or are they? Ruth (Doris) is alone, elderly, and all her days basically the same after she lost her husband. Her two grown children have independent lives of their own. Lonely, a post-cancer patient, and desperate, Ruth impulsively attempts to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills then confused, stumbles outside her home in Beverly Hills, collapsing onto the sidewalk. At the same time, Billie (Judy) walks by and stops, kneels by her to save her life. The police drive by and think Billie attacked poor Ruth, and with the help of Ruth's grown daughter, has Billie arrested. When Ruth feels better, she gets Billie released from jail, and goes on a quest to thank her for stopping to help her. However, Billie has had traumatic losses in her own life, which causes her to lose her home and family, as well as lose her trust in the establishment. Living on the streets with other unfortunate people, Billie is a survivor who doesn't think she needs anyone's help. That is, until Ruth 'makes' her realize she could use some help.

Ruth's loneliness and overwhelming gratitude causes her to keep trying to reach Billie's heart - and she does. They not only live together, but Billie is encouraged to bring some of her homeless friends along. That's when the trouble starts between the Beverly Hills neighbors and Ruth's own grown, wealthy, attorney daughter.

The challenges they face will draw you into the movie, and the ending will be surprising and make you cry. It is well worth watching, again and again (maybe have some of your own grown, selfish kids watch it if you are unfortunate to have at least one, as a sting to his/her conscious).

Aloha