this movie caught me off-guard while channel surfing 4 years ago. i found it on the hallmark channel, originally on showtime, and i was sucked into watching until the very end. i couldn't tear myself away even if i'd tried.
such a sweet movie and tender performances all around by the main cast. it's a story about a woman (joanne whalley) whose husband is off to WW2 and MIA. the discovery of a wounded drifter (sean patrick flanery) on her property by her daughter (alexa vega), makes her confront her fears and the possible truth of her husbands demise. why we don't hear more from joanne whalley is beyond me. a fantastic actress whose technique is so engaging you are compelled to watch. and sean flanery? my goodness, "subtle" yet effective, comes to mind when thinking of his performance. the aching melancholy beneath the surface of his "tom", and joanne's "ruby" makes my heart ache the acting is so touching. comparably, the interaction between mother and daughter and between tom and ruby's daughter as well, "opal (pug)", is so sweet you almost forget that tom hasn't been part of this family from the beginning. there's a scene where ruby is caught making an unconscious parallel comparison between eleanor roosevelt dealing with FDR's death, and herself trying to deal with her husband frank's possible death. she gets a chill at the realization of the quasi-truth. at that exact moment, tom notices her shivering and offers her his jacket - which is really frank's jacket she gave him to wear out of kindness. the unspoken dialogue in that one scene moved me to tears. you can almost see her let go of frank's memory as she refuses the offer to wear the jacket. it is one of many scenes that moved me to tears in this wonderful, wonderful movie.
i cannot express how unexpectedly fantastic this movie is. to reveal the ending would rob the prospective viewer from simply one of the most wonderful viewing experiences they'll ever have. this movie grabs your head and your heart in a tight grip from the time you start watching, and it doesn't let go until the very end it is so engaging. such a pleasure was had watching this movie, i bought it not long ago.
go and rent it today. you will be so thoroughly happy that you let ruby, tom and pug into your heart for an hour and a half, that you may want them to stay forever and buy the movie like i did.
such a sweet movie and tender performances all around by the main cast. it's a story about a woman (joanne whalley) whose husband is off to WW2 and MIA. the discovery of a wounded drifter (sean patrick flanery) on her property by her daughter (alexa vega), makes her confront her fears and the possible truth of her husbands demise. why we don't hear more from joanne whalley is beyond me. a fantastic actress whose technique is so engaging you are compelled to watch. and sean flanery? my goodness, "subtle" yet effective, comes to mind when thinking of his performance. the aching melancholy beneath the surface of his "tom", and joanne's "ruby" makes my heart ache the acting is so touching. comparably, the interaction between mother and daughter and between tom and ruby's daughter as well, "opal (pug)", is so sweet you almost forget that tom hasn't been part of this family from the beginning. there's a scene where ruby is caught making an unconscious parallel comparison between eleanor roosevelt dealing with FDR's death, and herself trying to deal with her husband frank's possible death. she gets a chill at the realization of the quasi-truth. at that exact moment, tom notices her shivering and offers her his jacket - which is really frank's jacket she gave him to wear out of kindness. the unspoken dialogue in that one scene moved me to tears. you can almost see her let go of frank's memory as she refuses the offer to wear the jacket. it is one of many scenes that moved me to tears in this wonderful, wonderful movie.
i cannot express how unexpectedly fantastic this movie is. to reveal the ending would rob the prospective viewer from simply one of the most wonderful viewing experiences they'll ever have. this movie grabs your head and your heart in a tight grip from the time you start watching, and it doesn't let go until the very end it is so engaging. such a pleasure was had watching this movie, i bought it not long ago.
go and rent it today. you will be so thoroughly happy that you let ruby, tom and pug into your heart for an hour and a half, that you may want them to stay forever and buy the movie like i did.