Laura Linney's performance is wonderful and worth every minute of this minor masterpeice melodrama set in upstate New York.
With her immature brother on one side and her over-eager, sexually dominant boss on the other, Sammy Prescott has a lot on her plate in life. For desert we can all enjoy her little boy, Rudy. Rory Caulkin and director Lonergan deserve special kudo's for bringing in "best performance" by a child-actor in years! Caulkin underplayed his role as the eight-year old caught in the windstorm of his uncle's return to his small hometown, making the character very beleivable and a child's role not designed for the pity applause meter. Uncle Terry and little Rudy's interactions are a movie all in itself.
It is a bit melodramatic and at moments I was expecting commercial breaks. Somewhat akin to an afternoon soap. However, the story is never predictable and the actors co-exist in almost perfect tune.
I rated 7/10 and it would have been higher but the plot has lags in it. Most notably, Sammy and Terry's parents demise at the begining of the film appears to have little bearing on the rest of the piece. I had questions in my mind watching and waiting, wondering how these two had grown up. The other was Terry's ability to find employment and how this issue was never addressed. Both of these "goofs" (perhaps)should not keep anyone from enjoying this little masterpiece.
I look forward to more of Lonergan's work as well as Linney and Caulkin.
With her immature brother on one side and her over-eager, sexually dominant boss on the other, Sammy Prescott has a lot on her plate in life. For desert we can all enjoy her little boy, Rudy. Rory Caulkin and director Lonergan deserve special kudo's for bringing in "best performance" by a child-actor in years! Caulkin underplayed his role as the eight-year old caught in the windstorm of his uncle's return to his small hometown, making the character very beleivable and a child's role not designed for the pity applause meter. Uncle Terry and little Rudy's interactions are a movie all in itself.
It is a bit melodramatic and at moments I was expecting commercial breaks. Somewhat akin to an afternoon soap. However, the story is never predictable and the actors co-exist in almost perfect tune.
I rated 7/10 and it would have been higher but the plot has lags in it. Most notably, Sammy and Terry's parents demise at the begining of the film appears to have little bearing on the rest of the piece. I had questions in my mind watching and waiting, wondering how these two had grown up. The other was Terry's ability to find employment and how this issue was never addressed. Both of these "goofs" (perhaps)should not keep anyone from enjoying this little masterpiece.
I look forward to more of Lonergan's work as well as Linney and Caulkin.