We Were the Mulvaneys (2002)

One of the best films i have seen

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

It is a performances centric movie

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Although this movie was very emotional, it is more than a soap opera. I think it speaks to religion and the pitfalls of blind faith. Also, I think the competent cast elevated it above mere soap.The story is about a family that functions at a high level - as long as there are no bumps in the road. When the family is tested, not every family member has the inner strength or character to keep the family together.The father sends the daughter away because 'he loves her so much he can no longer look at her'. The mother supports the father, blindly hoping things will work out. The daughter loves the father so much she believes he will change and call for her to come home. She desperately waits for him to call her home, suspended in a state of sadness and shame. She prays and relies on her religion to help her through it. But is is not until she seemingly gives up on God to help her that she slowly unravels from her despair. Weak and lost throughout the story, it it not until she finds the strength to forgive her father and mother so she can move beyond the past and find a life for herself.Once the father - the supposed rock the family was built on - is gone, the family unites again.

"We Were the Mulvaneys" tells of a nauseatingly, oh so perfect family not unlike "Father Knows Best" or "Ozzie and Harriet" who suffer a tragedy, a rape, which begins a chain of events resulting in the fission of the nuclear family. Pausing to dwell on the emoting while skipping through time for the rest of the story, everything which happens in this squeaky clean contrivance seems to be little more than an excuse for melodrama making this film just more low budget TV drama queen fodder for Lifetime channel hanky-wringers. Pretty awful stuff made for those who can swallow huge choking gulps of stereotypes, cliches, and melodrama. Recommended for soap opera fans and the like. You know who you are. (C+)

I'm actually not a big fan of the movie itself, but I think it's worth watching if you want to see a marvelous performance by a great young actress. Tammy Blanchard is amazing as Marianne Mulvaney. Blythe and Beau are good as always but young Tammy is the star of this one. Not a great adaptation of the book though, 7.5/10

The story could be explained in one minute from beginning to end and the movie runs a little slowly at times...But the emotional impact transferred to the movie watcher is powerful. Beau Bridges is the consummate actor once again displaying a wide variety of emotion without ever appearing that he is acting. I would have preferred that the dialogue give us a little break so that the stress the movie produces could ease before it starts up again.All in all, a healthy 7.