Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Borgarkeri A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

leonblackwood Review: For some unknown reason, I really couldn't get into this film. It starts off well and the concept was great, but the director failed on the execution. It seemed to drag after a while, but I liked the various characters who all had there own personal issues. My expectations of the film was quite high because of the cast, but once that the whole family starts getting on, it turns a bit boring. With John Hurt, Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton and Kevin Bacon, the director should have made use of the A Listers. Round-Up: Judging by the money that this movie made, it's obvious that I wasn't alone with the fact that this film just wasn't what it could have been. It's not that all of the actors and actresses didn't put in a good performance, it's just that it seemed like the storyline dried up after a while. The chemistry between the characters was quite interesting to watch, especially Duvall & Hurt who were great together and I loved the scene when Duvall was tripping in the woods, but nothing else really stood out in the movie for me.Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $15,000 (Terrible!)I recommend this movie to people who are into there family dramas set in the 1960's who are drawn together by under unusual circumstances. 3/10

dickclarkproductions Thornton & Epperson failed miserably on this one. Same old stereotypical Southern bullshit. Totally unbelievable. Terms like "back in the day" came into America's vernacular in the 90's, not in this period piece. One wonders why "Bucktooth Billy" has to be so skin crawling gross i.e the masturbation scene. The script could have easily been written by a couple high school kids making no one laugh but themselves. Thornton vowed he would never direct again after super-bomb, "All The Pretty Horses". Too bad he broke his promise. Obviously a "one trick pony", ("Sling Blade") which also, by the way, set his home State of Arkansas's image back 50 years. We have no use for him here in his home State. His infamous radio interview on a Canadian radio station,(YouTube), showed us all what a dick he really is. Kevin bacon is great, even in this piece of crap. And for once Robert Duvall didn't talk with his hands

Larry Silverstein Set in the small town of Morrison, Alabama, in 1969, the film has an all-star ensemble cast but I felt that the bizarre and dark family dynamics that play out, although well acted, just never congeal into an entertaining or meaningful story. Billy Bob Thorton directs here, and also has a lead role in the movie, as well as co-writing the screenplay with Tom Epperson.It's set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, which is still raging, and the hippie drug culture that emerged in the 60's. The plot revolves around the rich patriarch of the Caldwell family, Jim Caldwell, portrayed by the great actor Robert Duvall, getting a call from England that his ex-wife Naomi had died, and that per her wishes her new family will accompany her body for burial to Alabama. Naomi had traveled to England many years before, met a man there, and came back to Alabama to leave Jim and the family suddenly and remarry in England to Kingsley Bedford, played by another great actor John Hurt.This will set up a number of sub-plots as the Bedfords meet the Caldwells for the first time. As mentioned, there's an all-star cast here, with the three sons of Jim being played by such screen notables as Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, and Billy Bob Thorton himself, while Jim's daughter is portrayed by Katherine LaNasa. Kingsley is accompanied to the States by his son Ray Stevenson and his daughter Frances O'Connor.So with all this talent on screen what's the problem? Well for me, it was that the various strange scenarios that play out mostly didn't work, in my opinion. Some were humorous and interesting, while I thought the majority could be mean-spirited and trying too hard to be over-the-top and strange. The ultimate result for me was that, as mentioned, the movie just never meshed together into anything more than segmented pieces of a film.

Tony Heck "It's not gonna kill you to talk to your kids pops. You might be surprised what happens." A family that is already at odds with each other is dealt another big blow. Their mother, who they haven't seen in a long time (because she moved to England and remarried) has died and wishes to be buried in Alabama. To make matters worse her new family is coming as well and the old and new meet for the first time. This is a difficult movie to explain. It's not bad but it's not that good either. The acting is great but the story is weak. There doesn't seem to be a flow from one scene to the other but I stayed interested. The movie is really one big contradiction to itself. If you watch it you will see what I mean. I will say that I thought the movie was OK but nothing I would watch again or bring up in the "have you seen this lately" conversation, but on the other hand it is full of some great acting and it's worth seeing for that reason alone. This is nothing more then a family trying to figure itself out and Duvall plays the same part he did in Slingblade...but this time he talks. Overall, a hard movie to explain because nothing really happens but I did think it was OK. Watch it and you will see what I mean, but it's hard to recommend. I give it a B-.