Saint Maybe (1998) (TV) was directed by Michael Pressman and based on the novel by Anne Tyler. Thomas McCarthy plays Ian Bedloe, a teenager who has a fine home, loving family, and lovely girlfriend. For reasons that are complex, and not clear to Ian or to us, Ian initiates a chain of action that leads to tragedy. Naturally, he feels tremendous guilt. The movie is about what you do when you're a good person who has made an irrevocable mistake.
Anne Tyler is an excellent author, and the film is faithful to the basic plot of her novel. The acting is uniformly good, and the production has the usual solid strength we expect from the Hallmark Hall of Fame.
This film probably won't make your all-time best 100 films list, but it's still worth seeing. Also, Anne Tyler's novel is definitely worth reading. I had read the novel years ago, and just saw the film, so I can't make specific comments about the degree to which the script reflects the novel. Still, my impression is that this is a solid and careful adaptation.
Anne Tyler is an excellent author, and the film is faithful to the basic plot of her novel. The acting is uniformly good, and the production has the usual solid strength we expect from the Hallmark Hall of Fame.
This film probably won't make your all-time best 100 films list, but it's still worth seeing. Also, Anne Tyler's novel is definitely worth reading. I had read the novel years ago, and just saw the film, so I can't make specific comments about the degree to which the script reflects the novel. Still, my impression is that this is a solid and careful adaptation.