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Visitors Review

jkantor 2012-05-26 02:44:42

Sappy

Sappy story; sappy acting; sappy music - and to make it even worse,it's excruciatingly slow. Please shoot me.There is no story here, or character development or anything other thandepressing music, long-faced actors, and interminably long scenes. Bythe first break, you don't even know what it's about - exceptmiserably, self-absorbed people.And the typical movie-of-the-week production values don't add anythingto it either.The only thing worse was the Hallmark commercial at the first break.But that, at least, was mercifully short. In fact, that's what thismovie seems to be - a sappy 30-second commercial padded out to twohours.

SpudV 2012-05-25 16:05:39

Another Hallmark Offering

While one should not expect an Emmy award winner out of the moviesHallmark typically puts out, "The Russell Girl" was OK entertainmentfor two hours. I appreciated the lack of long commercial breaks. It wasdifficult to say if the lead actress, Tamblyn, made the movie slow downin parts or if it was just the script itself. It did seem to drag outas she kept playing a "keep-away" game of her secret from her family.Even though she was relatively young (early 20's) she had not resolveda major event that had happened five years ago, one she ran away from.This movie did fairly well in showing the results of not forgiving aswell as the ineffectiveness of running away from a bad situation. Itjust seemed to take awhile to get to the ending that wasn't a surprisebut was nice to see anyhow.The strength of the movie came in giving the audience a chance toexamine their own lives, if given the news of having an "aggressivecancer". Would we accept it as some sort of karma for the bad things wehave done? Would we try to right past wrongs? How would we spend thelittle time we have left? Considering the junk that passes forentertainment on TV lately (watching someone strapped to a lie detectorfor an hour?), I did not have any regrets using up two hours of my lifeon this movie.(A better Hallmark movie on forgiveness is "The Christmas Gift" withNeal Patrick Harris.)

Kellie Stewart 2012-05-24 18:52:24

Not What I Expected

This is a movie that could have had me crying my eyes out, but one badactress ruined the entire movie. The grieving mother seemed to thinkher best acting attribute was her lip quiver. The movie was alsounrealistic in its family dynamics. You don't go from being sad mom for6 years and then just overnight become super mom. It would have been agripping story, but the person I as I mom, I know that we have theinstinct that something is wrong, but mom & dad were just happy intheir oblivion. I would have liked the story to have extended a bitwith the girl and her family, but I guess we are left at the endknowing what we are supposed to know. I would not recommend watchingthis movie for the time it takes to watch it.

edwagreen 2012-05-24 15:18:21

The Russell Girl is An Endearing Film ****

Outstanding film dealing with relationships, human tragedy and therebounding of the human spirit.The film sports 2 outstanding performances by heroine Amber Tamblyn, aMacy's buyer, who has been accepted to Northwestern University, topursue a medical profession only to discover that she has an aggressiveform of leukemia and Jennifer Ehle, as Lorraine.6 years earlier while babysitting for a one year old daughter, theTamblyn character was distracted by the antics of the baby's two olderbrothers with tragedy ensuing. This tragedy has caused Lorraine tobecome an embittered, emotionally wrought woman who is doing anexcellent job of alienating both her husband and sons.Upon receiving this terrible diagnosis, Tamblyn (Sarah) rushes home toher parents and brother who bring her the news of her Northwesternacceptance. Unable to tell them the terrible news, the movie becomesone of interpersonal relationships among the cast including Sarah'sformer boyfriend, who has returned home to tend to his stroke victimfather.This film is definitely a triumph of the human spirit throughperseverance and courage.The film shows how in adversity people can come together. I highlyrecommend it.

vchimpanzee 2012-05-24 17:07:26

Somewhat depressing but still a quality production

If the news is not good ...Of COURSE the news isn't good. This is a Hallmark Hall of Fameproduction.Sarah Russell is a buyer for Macy's in Chicago. She wanted to go tomedical school, but so far she has not been accepted anywhere. But nowshe may not get the chance to go to medical school anyway. She hasAcute Myelogenous Leukemia, and while it can be treated, she needs toact quickly.Sarah goes home, since she has vacation time coming. Once she hasreturned to her hometown, she meets former boyfriend Evan, who works athis father's gas station. Evan is actually an investment banker inDallas, but when his father had a stroke, he had to come hometemporarily to help out, doing what he could in his other job by meansof technology. After a minor accident, Sarah has an excuse to spendtime with Evan, who can do the necessary repairs to her car.When Sarah returns to her parents' house, Lorraine from across thestreet sees her, goes inside and tells her husband "The Russell Girl"is back, in a tone that makes it appear Sarah was part of some scandalyears ago. Lorraine, who restores furniture and related items, soonbecomes depressed and bitter, and almost incapable of functioningbecause of migraines. She won't even watch her teenage son playing inan important baseball game.Sarah's parents are happy to see her, and they have a telephone messageshe believes they would rather not have heard. No, it's not that. Sheactually has been accepted to Northwestern's medical school. Sarahcan't give them the bad news now. There may be more to her refusal tosay anything, though.The movie has important messages about forgiveness and dealing withguilt. Amber Tamblyn and Jennifer Ehle both give superior performances.Ehle has the greater challenge because of her wide range of moods, butshe also delivers some unexpected moments. Tamblyn also has to show awide range. Fortunately, a movie that could have been quite depressinghas some pleasant moments and even some humor. For example, the girl atthe karaoke bar would never make it past Simon Cowell.Young children may be upset by one scene (although the references tocancer would be enough to discourage them anyway), but the event iscritical and only implied (the tragic result is mentioned explicitlyseveral times). Brief flashbacks, and one longer one, look like a WorldBook Encyclopedia illustration of one type of color blindness. It isthe long flashback that is the key to the whole movie.It was worthy of the name Hallmark.

Flickstr 2012-05-23 21:48:20

So slow that I could not get past first 30min.

If there was a plot, it took more than 30 min to unfold and I wasunable to watch any longer. The acting and production was fine but itwas such a shame to waste the talent and money to produce this boringscript.The Russell girl (Tamblyn) comes home to share some bad news,presumably that she is about to die of leukemia, and runs into abrooding next door neighbor harboring some grudge from another time.Sarah's mom (Mastrantonio) is so clueless about listening to Sarah'smood that Sarah starts brooding too. Tamblyn's natural brooding is soover used by this script that the first 30 minutes has enough broodingfor three or four movies. As scene after scene goes by withoutdisclosure of the root problems, my snooze level rises. After 30 minutes or so I was done. I was very BORED, and angry that mytime and the talents of this great cast were wasted by this directorand producer.

yates-3 2012-05-21 13:26:40

Superb Writing, Superb Performances

This is one of the best movies I've seen in years. While the "Matrix"crowd may consider the plot "slow," I consider it natural andunhurried. This movie rests on its WRITING and PERFORMANCE, not fancygraphics, nudity, or profanity. You can watch this show with your3-year-old.Two families are caught in a very plausible conflict. There is a lot ofjudgment, anger, blame, self-loathing, and fear involved. The conflictrises to an almost intolerable level, but then is eventually resolved.Like many real-life conflicts and wounds, the Russell girl wallsherself off in unhealthy denial and self-judgment. The family doesn'thelp either, with the mother blinding herself to the depth of herdaughter's guilt. True to the self-righteous, self-justified attitude of humans in theirworst light, the antagonist (Jennifer Ehle) had deepened the wound formany years, but with the artful interplay of emotions and relationshipswoven by Blotevogel, the wound is finally punctured and healed.My hat is off to Jill Blotevogel, Jeff Bleckner, Amber Tamblyn, and allthe people involved in making this excellent film.

johnnymacbest 2012-05-21 05:55:56

Too similar to Candles on Bay Street.

Although the story is quite interesting, for me it was too similar andpredictable; especially towards the end. This movie is just likeCandles on Bay Street because for one thing, the main characters arefemales with cancer; the only difference is that one died and the otherlived. I wasn't too keen on the performances though Amber Tamblyn doesa fairly nice job than Alicia Silverstone. Aside from that, there'sreally nothing special about this film. It's just something that'sbetter suited for an episode in a TV drama, nothing more or less.Hallmark has done some good movies, but the end result for this one issimply "meh" at best. Overall, this film is better watched just to passthe time.