Tumbleweeds (1999 film)

, who was inspired by her memories of a childhood spent on the road with her serial-marrying mother.

Plot synopsis

The story revolves around Mary Jo Walker, a single mother whose usual reaction to trouble is to pack her car with her belongings and pre-teen daughter Ava and search for greener pastures.

When a reunion with an old beau in Missouri proves to be less successful than anticipated, Mary Jo accedes to Ava's desire to see the Pacific Ocean and heads west. Enroute they're assisted by a long-distance trucker who coincidentally re-enters their lives after they've settled in San Diego. Once again, Mary Jo foregoes both her independence and daughter's well-being in favor of having a man in her life. Her choices lead her and Ava into all-too-familiar territory, but this time when Mary Jo decides it's time to move on yet again, Ava - who finally has planted some roots - decides to rebel.

Principal cast

*Janet McTeer ..... Mary Jo Walker
*Kimberly J. Brown ..... Ava Walker
*Gavin O'Connor ..... Jack Ranson
*Jay O. Sanders ..... Dan Miller
*Laurel Holloman ..... Laurie Pendleton
*Lois Smith ..... Ginger
*Michael J. Pollard ..... Mr. Cummings
*Sara Downing ..... Rachel Riley

Critical reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Stephen Holden said the film "is a modestly produced slice of Americana. But its central performances are so extraordinarily nuanced and the screenplay so perfectly attuned to the twang and beat of everyday speech that in places the movie feels like a documentary . . . There are many moments when what is on the screen stops looking like acting and becomes life itself, and you're watching real people change and grow before your eyes." [ [http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/112499tumble-film-review.html "New York Times" review] ]

Glenn Lovell of "Variety" said, "Powered by uncommon rapport between its femme leads and helmer's roughhewned sensibility, pic has what it takes to becomes the year's first heartfelt sleeper . . . [it] has topnotch production values and a strong supporting cast going for it." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117490609.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety" review] ]

In the "San Francisco Chronice", Peter Stack observed, "Tumbleweeds" is far from a slick Hollywood-style production. It's not encumbered, for one thing, by star power . . . [and] its lack of stars becomes part of its charm . . . The interplay between Mary Jo and Ava is the film's great treat. They seem utterly natural together, bound by mother-daughter ties that are complex, touching, ultimately so powerful they yield the kind of tearful joy rarely experienced at the movies." [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1999/12/10/DD16357.DTL "San Francisco Chronicle" review] ]

Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" said, "McTeer and Brown make magic in a film that is wonderfully funny, touching and vital." [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/_/id/5947573/rid/5947574/ "Rolling Stone" review] ]

Awards and nominations

*Academy Award for Best Actress (Janet McTeer, nominee)
*Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Janet McTeer, winner)
*Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress (Janet McTeer, nominee)
*Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance (Kimberly J. Brown, winner)
*National Board of Review Award for Best Actress (Janet McTeer, winner)
*Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Janet McTeer, winner)
*Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Motion Picture (Jenet McTeer, nominee)
*Sundance Film Festival Filmmakers Trophy (Gavin O'Connor, winner)
*Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize (Gavin O'Connor, nominee)
*Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress (Kimberly J. Brown, winner)

References

External links

*imdb title|161023|Tumbleweeds