The Glass Castle 2017

     This film is based on a biographic novel by Jeannette Walls.  It’s the story of her life and of her siblings growing up in a vagabond family.  Rose Mary Walls is an eccentric artist and she doesn’t ask for very much.  Rex Walls is alcoholic and many times he’s fired from jobs.  One thing he does for his family is to stir their imaginations.  The family moves many times, they shirk any medical bills, they are on the run from government intervention and once they don’t have anything but butter and sugar to eat.  Jeannette is the oldest and she tells the younger children that they will need to study in school and try to pull themselves up from poverty.

     Everything gets solved and tied up very simply in this film.  What about the lasting damage of the treatment the children received from their parents.  They did learn to make their own way in the world without help.  I can’t believe they don’t look back on some of their memories with regret and anger?  The family returned to Welch, West Virginia when they were totally broke and without any prospects.  The truth about Welsh in the Appalachians is that even today there is a LOT of poverty.  Neither parent is raising about 52% of the children.  Many homes are dilapidated structures and many buildings are empty with broken windows.  The population has reduced by nearly 80% in the last 25 years.  Nearly four of every five homes are abandoned.  There is a terrible opioid crisis creating an unbearable burden on the health care system.  The life expectancy is ten years shorter than it was 35 years ago.  The water system relies on 100-year-old wooden pipes and visitors are told to drink only bottled water.  This was once Democratic and the poorest community in the nation and three of four voters recently supported Trump.  3 ½* (I liked this movie) (I also liked the book)  

127 min, Bio directed by Destin Daniel Cretton with Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson, Chandler Head, Max Greenfield, Josh Caras, Charlie Shotwell, Iain Armitage, Sarah Snook, Sadie Sink, Olivia Kate Rice, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Shree Crooks, Eden Grace Redfield.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10, 50% critic 73% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Metacritic 56 out of 100 with 40 critics 6.4 out of 10 with 47 reviews, Common Sense Media 3* out of 5*, viewer age 14+, 1* positive messages, 3* role models, 3* violence, 2* sex, 3* language, 4* drinking, drugs & smoking.

Special Note:  Filmed in Welch, West Virginia.  The title refers to the plans Rex is always working on to build a glass castle for the family.  Originally, Jennifer Lawrence was to star and Gary Ross to direct but they dropped out.  Mark Ruffalo and Claire Danes were to play Rex and Rose Walls.  There is a mistake when Jeannette chooses the star she wants and she picks Venus.  This wouldn’t’ be possible because Venus is only seen in the early morning in the east and not early evening in the west.