There are some bits of interesting stories here that could have been made into a powerful exploration of human relationships. There is a glimpse of a couple who after their children are born, see their dreams fade and their marriage die. There is a short scene about a black girl who is seduced, left pregnant and abandoned by a white, rich boy visiting from college. But all of this heavy material is left up in the air. It is the sideshow to the main part of this film which is such a farce that is seems that the circus has come to town.
Before I get to that, a few positive comments. American Quilt is beautifully made. The lighting, sets, costumes, camera work often create a magical atmosphere which is warm and comfortable. Another nice part is Winona Ryder who I praise for not being anorexic like so many young actresses. She is fine in her role. Maya Angelou also gives a good sometimes tough, stoic performance.
Now the grim details. This movie centers around a young woman, named Finn, who has cold feet about getting married and so cheats on her fiancé. This part of the plot is so predictable. As soon as the handsome swimmer shows up, we know this will happen. Now Finn's mother is known to have a different man every month or so. So far this is plausible but there is much more. Now to Finn's grandmother. Grandma had an affair with her sister's husband while grandma's husband lay dying in the hospital. Now grandma and her sister live together. Only in Hollywood would these two elderly supposedly small town women light up a joint and puff away and live happily ever after even though one woman slept with the other's husband.
What's really amazing is that this movie expects us to believe that this could happen twice in the same small town. You see the grandmother and her sister belong to a group of women who are making a quilt for Finn. Another woman is having an affair with another woman's husband. Two women have had affairs with two other women's husbands and they all get along in this quilting group. It's truly amazing.
After being surprised and chuckling about all of this, I still tried to appreciate the better parts of this film. But what led me to give up hope is that just after Finn confesses that she has cheated on her fiancé, a violent wind comes, blowing her masters thesis out the window. Please, what is this the Ten Commandments?
I can only feel sad when I see half of a good movie here wasted by being cobbled together with Hollywood nonsense. This is a lesson in how to make an American movie mess.
Before I get to that, a few positive comments. American Quilt is beautifully made. The lighting, sets, costumes, camera work often create a magical atmosphere which is warm and comfortable. Another nice part is Winona Ryder who I praise for not being anorexic like so many young actresses. She is fine in her role. Maya Angelou also gives a good sometimes tough, stoic performance.
Now the grim details. This movie centers around a young woman, named Finn, who has cold feet about getting married and so cheats on her fiancé. This part of the plot is so predictable. As soon as the handsome swimmer shows up, we know this will happen. Now Finn's mother is known to have a different man every month or so. So far this is plausible but there is much more. Now to Finn's grandmother. Grandma had an affair with her sister's husband while grandma's husband lay dying in the hospital. Now grandma and her sister live together. Only in Hollywood would these two elderly supposedly small town women light up a joint and puff away and live happily ever after even though one woman slept with the other's husband.
What's really amazing is that this movie expects us to believe that this could happen twice in the same small town. You see the grandmother and her sister belong to a group of women who are making a quilt for Finn. Another woman is having an affair with another woman's husband. Two women have had affairs with two other women's husbands and they all get along in this quilting group. It's truly amazing.
After being surprised and chuckling about all of this, I still tried to appreciate the better parts of this film. But what led me to give up hope is that just after Finn confesses that she has cheated on her fiancé, a violent wind comes, blowing her masters thesis out the window. Please, what is this the Ten Commandments?
I can only feel sad when I see half of a good movie here wasted by being cobbled together with Hollywood nonsense. This is a lesson in how to make an American movie mess.