Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)
Movie star Roxy Carmichael is abandoning the bright lights of Hollywood, Calif. and returning to her small Ohio hometown -- at least long enough to dedicate a city building. And now the whole town of Clyde is bracing for Carmichael's return, most of all her now-married old flame Denton Webb and troubled teen Dinky Bossetti. An orphan with few friends, Dinky is convinced that Carmichael is her birth mother, and that the actress will reclaim her when she returns.
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Too many fans seem to be blown away
The greatest movie ever!
Just perfect...
Dreadfully Boring
15 years ago, Roxy Carmichael left town leaving behind her boyfriend and new baby. Now, she's coming home as a success story. Her former boyfriend Denton Webb (Jeff Daniels) is still not over her despite being married with kids. Dinky Bossetti (Winona Ryder) is adopted, bullied at school and a loner who keeps lots of animals at an abandoned boat. Dinky is convinced that she's the love child of Roxy and Denton. She's interested in class hunk Gerald Howells but he's reluctant to show affection for the class freak. Her only friend is the school counselor Elizabeth Zaks.Winona Ryder is perfectly cast as this sensitive outsider teen. She is great at playing this type of character. The rest of the movie lacks humor. It tries to be a sharp black comedy but the writing isn't good enough. Director Jim Abrahams is more known for his spoof movies. He doesn't seem to have a solid hold on a sensitive serious coming-of-age movie. The tone is awkward. The attempted comedy slams into Denton's anger and his side of the story. The movie works with Ryder but struggles without her.
'Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael", is an endearing, and utterly underrated picture, with more heart and intelligence than it is given credit for. Winona Ryder's portrayal of a sexually confused, socially dysfunctional, and emotionally reserved character, is charming and convincing, bringing truth and credibility to the film. Set over a week dedicated to the return of obscure legend, "Roxy Carmichael", whose most famous contribution to society was having her name in a song, in the small town of Clyde, Dinky Bosseti (Winona Ryder), feels a connection for the first time in her life. The film focuses on the need for mother/ daughter relationships through adolescence, and the sexual development of a young woman through self-discovery and fascination. Relationships between her guidance councillor, her adopted father, and a young town's boy, contrast the romantic appeal of celebrity to highlight the importance of human interaction, allowing for Ryder's character to re-assess her life. If you pass this film in the "comedy" section of your video store, as it is so wrongly placed, pick it up. You will be surprised. If you have ever felt detached from society, or inadequate (particularly during your teenage years), this film is something you will certainly relate to.
Wow, I saw this such a long time ago but did really enjoy it as I enjoy most of Rider's work. This is another "movie with a message". It was extremely well done, well acted and interesting movie. There was just one problem.SPOILER ALERT: The ending WAS pretty much a tease. I don't like when a movie teases you with something and then it never happens. Another IMDb reviewer wrote how bad this ending was and I agree-completely-it's to much a tease-you'll turn the movie off feeling cheated and since that's never a good way to be at the end of a flick I wouldn't rate this movie past a 6. I understand endings are not always as we, the audience would like them to be but there is a difference between endings that are necessary to the plot of the movie and endings that just seem contrived to cheat the viewer out of something they've waited for the whole film. Watch it if you haven't and you'll see what I mean.
Bad teen soap movie about high school missfit and her small town life.Below average production and the good acting by Winona could not save this one too much.Leads one along to a promised climactic end but does not deliver.Only for fans of missfit teen trouble dramas,big fans of teen movies and Winona fans as well......