I was disappointed to find this a dull, boring film. Tumbleweeds has no real plot to speak of, but this was not its primary problem. Indeed, as any lover of European cinema knows, films with vivid characterizations and strong acting (though little plot) can be riveting. Tumbleweeds, however, is weak on all fronts. The dialogue is not sharp and, perhaps because of the improvisational acting the director allowed, many of the scenes seem slow and do not enhance strongly enough our emotional connection with the characters. As for the acting, Janet McTeer and especially Jay O. Sanders are moving but their intensity is not matched by their fellow actors. (For example, Ashley Buccille, playing Ava's friend Zoe, is a far better actress than Kimberly Brown.) While this story certainly had the potential to be a great film, sadly it was simply a bore.
Review of Tumbleweeds
