- She's a wonderful actress (and no one looks better in high-heeled snakeskin boots with tight jeans!)
- The movie actually has an involving story
- The acting is excellent for ALL involved
- The location stuff is so authentic I got chilblains just watching!
Charlize Theron ("Monster" and "The Italian Job") is a fresh-out-of-options single mom who browbeats her indecisive younger brother, effectively played by Nick Stahl ("In the Bedroom" and "Terminator III"), into letting her and her daughter come stay with him. During the next week or so, his life is so disrupted he loses his job, she takes off, the girl drops out of school and goes AWOL from court-mandated foster care. Under the circumstances, he can see nothing to do but take off with her.
They have limited resources, so he heads for the family farm where the father, played by Dennis Hopper (he dates back to 1954 in "Johnny Guitar" and 1956 in "Giant"), still lives and works. In very short order, his abusive personality manifests itself as he berates his son and practically enslaves his granddaughter. When he starts physically slapping her, things take a huge turn for the worse, even though some in the audience applauded when Stahl leapt to her defense.
This movie will not be a big box-office hit, but it is a worthwhile project. Theron once again, shows us what a terrific actress she is and I respect someone who puts her money where her mouth is...
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