Perhaps this family goes through more than most families have to go through. Yet the script never feels contrived and you never feel manipulated.
This is largely due to an exemplary cast. Beau Bridges shines as the dad struggling to provide for his family. Bruce Davison and Alice Krige are the helpless couple who can see the family need help, desperately want to help and cannot. The two children have big parts that they fill admirably. Jeff Bridges accepts a small part, perhaps because he realises how important the film is.
This is a film which shows a part of life that is rarely shown, a family that has a roof over its head but is poor and undernourished. It is very moving and deserves far more than the 6.5 rating that it currently has.
This is largely due to an exemplary cast. Beau Bridges shines as the dad struggling to provide for his family. Bruce Davison and Alice Krige are the helpless couple who can see the family need help, desperately want to help and cannot. The two children have big parts that they fill admirably. Jeff Bridges accepts a small part, perhaps because he realises how important the film is.
This is a film which shows a part of life that is rarely shown, a family that has a roof over its head but is poor and undernourished. It is very moving and deserves far more than the 6.5 rating that it currently has.