When We Last Spoke 2019

      This movie is based on a book written by Marci Henna.  It has the heart and humor of Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes and Rebecca Wells’s Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.  Author Marci Henna introduces you to the Cranbourne family.  The setting is 1967 in the small town of Fireside.  They are a mostly lovable and undoubtedly nutty family who’ve had more than their fair share of hard times.  Sisters Juliet and Evangeline are abandoned by their mother when she leaves them at their grandparents country home.  She has gone back to New York to resume her singing career and the small town where they were living is too dull for her.  Their father has gone to fight in the war in Vietnam and it is unknown when he will be home again.  

     This film is about two sisters that grow up with their grandparents.  They are very fortunate that their grandparents are loving people and they represent good values.  It is about the things they learned, the love they felt and how it influenced their lives when the went out on their own.  This nostalgic American family drama spans decades, touches on Europe of the early 20th century, the Vietnam War, rural vs. urban life, death, grief, growing up without your parents and how much they are missed in the lives of children.  

     The characters are charming enough to draw in both kids and grownups.  It offers the uplifting message that in challenging times it's good to forgive and do one's best.  Adultery is mentioned, a mother abandons her children.  Language includes "hell."  Kids vandalize a front yard with toilet paper, they fight and throw dirt in someone's eye.  5 1/2* (I really liked this movie)

107 min, directed by Joanne Hock, with Cloris Leachman, Corbin Bernsen, Melissa Gilbert, Darby and Lucy Camp, Chandler Head, Alicia Fusting, Johanna Jowett, Julia Denton, Donny Boaz, Jayden Fontaine, Braxton Bjerken, Hope Ivers.

 

Note:  Imdb 8* out of 10*, Rotten Tomatoes 78% with less than 50 ratings, Amazon 4 1/2* with 2662 reviews, goodreads.com 4.16* out of 5* with 96 ratings and 31 reviews, commonsensemedia.com 1* sex and Language, 2* violence, 3* positive messages and positive role models & representations.