Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Joanna Mccarty Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

axy23 I feel grateful that the director had the courage needed to share this tale with us. I felt emotionally richer for the experience and couldn't rate it any less then 10 as it was so authentic and valuable in that regard. Difficult to watch but not a tear jerker at all, just completely honest.Yet again, I was shocked to read about the way in which they tricked Isabelle Nélisse to participate in it, and I strongly ethically oppose child actors being manipulated in such ways. She was amazing though, and I hope she will be able to look at it someday and feel proud about the final product of her being objectified the way she was. Kind of ironic and bitter, considering the movie partially deals with the topic of consent.

zkonedog When reviewing a film like "The Tale", I want to be careful in quantifying some of my statements. In an era in which women are much more empowered to tell their stories of abuse (sexual or otherwise) and confront their tormentors, movies like this are important to be made/seen. Even more unique/impressive is the fact that director & writer Jennifer Fox is actually telling her own story in this case. As such, despite the fact that I didn't find "The Tale" to perhaps be as gripping as I thought it could/should, I would never say it isn't important or made from a well-meaning place.For a basic plot summary, "The Tale" tells the story of Jennifer (Laura Dern), a videographer who out-of-the-blue is drawn back into her past where as a 13-year old (played by Isabelle Nelisse) she was sexually coerced/assaulted by her track and field coach Bill (Jason Ritter). All the while, her equestrian mentor Mrs. G (Elizabeth Debicki) sat back and let it happen, while mother Nettie (Laura Allen & Ellen Burstyn) never quite put all the pieces together until it was far too late. Now an adult, Jennifer must deal with those events in order to feel authentic in front of her classes of students.In terms of overall material and the emotion it contains, this is an excellent and heartbreaking film. It pulls absolutely no punches and really feels authentic (the costumes/sets of the 70s add realism). In short, the production value here is wonderful, as befitting a film with HBO backing.My main problem with "The Tale", however, is that I felt the narrative tricks it used to tell the story were at best confusing and at worse distracting from the overall emotion of the piece. There are times where grown-up Jennifer will converse with young-Jennie, as well as other cross-time interactions that obviously aren't actually happening but are portrayed as Jennifer's inter-ruminations. Instead of deepening the emotion for me, what this ended up doing was confusing what the overall take-home message of the film was supposed to be. I really struggled to get much past "it was a horrible/wrong thing to have happen" even though I know Fox is hinting at more deeper themes.One standout of the whole thing, though, is Dern absolutely acting her heart out in every scene she is in. None of my narrative confusion can be pinned on the acting in this one, as I found it to be really solid and, in Dern's case, spectacular. It's amazing to think that she has been working almost nonstop since Jurassic Park!So, overall I put "The Tale" at 6/10 stars, with the caveat that I think the importance of what is being conveyed throughout the film likely transcends how objectively "good" it actually ends up being.

TheBigSick SPOILER: When a film comes to the subject of sexual abuse, people tend to think that it is a great film, as it is so difficult and challenging to approach that profound and sensitive subject. This film "The Tale" is indeed such an example, and the writer-director comes up with some extra thoughts and complexity, particularly on the impact of that sexual abuse on the later life. The last five minutes of the film, or the confrontation between Fox and Allens, is just stunning, and Laura Dern definitely gives the best performance of her entire career. The tale is just a tale for a stupid innocent young girl, and is in fact a brainwash from a playboy that constantly takes advantage of kids.

bearcosmo As a victim of incest from the age of 7 until 15, I found this movie extremely difficult to watch, yet it was completely right-on from the child's and survivor's point of view. "Don't tell anyone" was what I was told over and over by my brother and I didn't until I was physically abused by my 1st husband. I told my parents when I was 33 years old, holding all the horror inside for so many painful years.All of the actors were magnificent and knowing that this is a true story, I give thanks to the author for breaking her silence in a way thousands of children who are now adults can relate to. Thank you for telling everyone!!I am finally getting therapy, and it's so eye-opening to see how those years of abuse contributed to the choices I made in my adult life. I'm only sorry it took me over 50 years to let the demons inside of me out.Excellent movie, not to be missed.