Admittedly, this film was not one that should have expected to have a big audience...which is probably why it lost so much money. The first niche audience it had was that it was a woman's movie...but I'm not sure even most women would buy into this film. Nevertheless, I (as a man) liked it, although it is a tad bit depressing.
The most basic thing this movie is about is -- people who can't.
The main character is played by Minnie Driver. She is a young woman who has been aiming to win a national beauty pageant since she was a child. Unfortunately, she couldn't win those child pageants because she couldn't compete with girls who were naturally beautiful, had supportive parents, and a sense of taste. The first part of the film is the character as a cjild, but then Minnie Driver plays the young woman. Driver is good here, although what she's good at is playing a character who is totally self-absorbed and totally selfish.
Joey Lauren Adams plays the best friend, who is totally supportive, going so far as to adopt Driver's illegitimate child so she can still compete in the "miss" contests. I'm not familiar with her from other films, but she's quite good here, and plays a character who can't defend herself when she is accused of killing a nursing home patient she cares for.
Hallie Eisenberg plays the illegitimate daughter. What a natural! The supporting actors do well here, including Kathleen Turner. Turner plays a former beauty contestant who couldn't compete, but now trains children to become beauty contestants. The mother of Driver in the film plays the mother who can't...successfully raise a child.
So, this is a movie about those who can't. The question is, will Driver's character grow up and develop some substance? Of course, we know the answer, but what's very solid about this film is that it doesn't come easy. Admittedly, the ending is a bit unrealistic. But it works, and makes the statement Sally Field (director) apparently wanted to make.
Is it a great film? No. But it has substance to it, and, there are those who will agree that it's well worth watching.
The most basic thing this movie is about is -- people who can't.
The main character is played by Minnie Driver. She is a young woman who has been aiming to win a national beauty pageant since she was a child. Unfortunately, she couldn't win those child pageants because she couldn't compete with girls who were naturally beautiful, had supportive parents, and a sense of taste. The first part of the film is the character as a cjild, but then Minnie Driver plays the young woman. Driver is good here, although what she's good at is playing a character who is totally self-absorbed and totally selfish.
Joey Lauren Adams plays the best friend, who is totally supportive, going so far as to adopt Driver's illegitimate child so she can still compete in the "miss" contests. I'm not familiar with her from other films, but she's quite good here, and plays a character who can't defend herself when she is accused of killing a nursing home patient she cares for.
Hallie Eisenberg plays the illegitimate daughter. What a natural! The supporting actors do well here, including Kathleen Turner. Turner plays a former beauty contestant who couldn't compete, but now trains children to become beauty contestants. The mother of Driver in the film plays the mother who can't...successfully raise a child.
So, this is a movie about those who can't. The question is, will Driver's character grow up and develop some substance? Of course, we know the answer, but what's very solid about this film is that it doesn't come easy. Admittedly, the ending is a bit unrealistic. But it works, and makes the statement Sally Field (director) apparently wanted to make.
Is it a great film? No. But it has substance to it, and, there are those who will agree that it's well worth watching.