6/10
It's a "mell of a hess"
29 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
My title is one of my favorite quotes from the film but it also describes one of my feelings toward the movie. It rambles with a lot of little tidbits here and there pieced together to tell a sad story of two little girls who deserved better in life, but at least had grandparents who loved them very much and provided good role models.

They were better off with grandparents who loved them, but no child should learn that her mother doesn't want her. Even so, I think Evangeline overreacts a bit by staying away so long. And the movie didn't do a good job of justifying her very quick change of heart at the end.

There is a series of shots juxtaposed between their dad being killed in Vietnam and the girls enjoying themselves running free at home. Not only did it not impress me, but I thought it was too "artsy" with scenes in near darkness and shots with a strobe like effect combined with some out of focus.

Cloris Leachman did her part well as a free spirited great-grandmother going senile near the end of her life. Melissa Gilbert carried much of the film with grace. The two child actors also were good. I really believed their characters as they were meant to be shown.

I just never got hooked by this movie, but it was pleasant enough.
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