The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, is based on the true story of Evelyn Ryan, a mother of ten in Defiance, Ohio, who supported her family of 12 by writing winning jingles for contests.

Julianne Moore is Evelyn, a unflappable mother who somehow keeps her cool raising her ten children and dealing with a drunken husband "Kelly" (Woody Harrelson), a machinist who spends all his money on booze. Her pastor advises her to make a better home for him. Thanks, father. Sober, Kelly is a sweet enough man, if ineffectual. Drunk he resents that it is she who supplies what money and food they have and has put a roof over their heads and he becomes violent - not towards her or the children, but by breaking and throwing things. This scares the kids. Once, a near tragedy is avoided when, during one of his tirades, Evelyn falls and the milk bottles break. One more inch and that would have been it for her.

When she wins $5,000 (she had multiple entries using her kids' names, a common practice - one entry per name), she and her husband (Woody Harrelson) purchase a house, but only he signs the mortgage.

Very much, the point made in this film is that things were different for women in the '50s. Evelyn was a clever woman who had a bright future as a newspaperwoman, but she gave it all up for marriage and family. On TV, we see Queen for a Day and Miss America saying she wouldn't vote for a female president because women are "too emotional." The acting is good all around, with Moore the perfect '50s housewife - maybe too perfect - how any woman could hold it together given her life is beyond me. Only a few times do we see her break down and be anything but calm and cheerful. Harrelson is excellent as a weak man who, despite his unhappiness, can't get his act together to give her enough money for the milkman.

Supposedly the film is very close to the book, written by one of the daughters. The vintage elements are wonderful; one really feels as if it is the '50s, with the typewriter, the black and white TV, the old cars, the clothes (some of which belonged to the real Evelyn Ryan).

Very good.

Julianne Moore delivers a performance that captures the essence of the American homemaker in the 1950's. Her strength of character and her intelligence which she utilizes to help clothe and feed her family and keep them together virtually anchors the film.

The cast, writing and locations enhance THE PRIZE WINNER, and create an air of authenticity on the screen which moves the story forward. The children, in all their ages, help produce such a powerful film and form the foundation for Julianne Moore's motivation to provide and take care of her family.

Woody Harrelson is tremendous, and visually watching his anger and pain explode at times in the film, makes the audience take note of what it must have meant for a father to fail as a breadwinner in the 1950's.

THE PRIZE WINNER takes you back to that time in American history when the thought of winning and capturing "The American Dream" was one you could accomplish with hard work and talent. Julianne Moore makes the film all the more powerful with her portrayal of an American mother who will use her brains and determination to keep her family together. This film is one of the best to come along in 2005.

We were reluctant to see this film, but since it was the only choice at the time, we took a gamble that paid off in unexpected ways. First of all, this is a charming film that will win even skeptics, like myself. Director Jane Anderson's adaptation of Terry Ryan's book is a sunny portrayal of a woman who in spite of the monetary problems she suffered most of her life, was a winning individual because of the love she had for everyone, even for the husband, that on the surface, didn't appreciate her.

The story of Evelyn Ryan, an amazing woman from Ohio, comes to lie on the screen in the way the superb Julianne Moore portrays her. Evelyn was going places before she got married; she showed such promise, but her marriage to Kelly Ryan transforms her into a woman that has to perform wonders in order to keep her ten children, fed, clothed and educated. She did a wonderful job with all of them! Evelyn Ryan's talent for winning all kinds of prizes in those contests during the early age of television provides the family with a lot of material things and cash to keep them afloat. While Kelly is spending the money in liquor, Evelyn has to plead with the milkman to extend her credit. Having a strong will and a positive attitude toward life, Evelyn seems to typify that adage, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade".

Julianne Moore, one of our best actress is perfect as Evelyn Ryan. The film is the surprise it is because of the charisma Ms. Moore, under the direction of Ms. Anderson, gives to the film. Woody Harrelson, as Kelly, is fine as well in conveying the man who seems to have let life defeat him and will not do anything about it. Laura Dern is only seen in a a few scenes, but as always, she is a welcome presence in anything she plays. Ellary Porterfield plays Tuff as different stages of the girl's life.

This is a life affirming film and a tribute to Evelyn Ryan, a woman that in spite of the hard times always found solace in the great family she brought to the world.

I felt the need to sign up and review a movie for the first time, just so there would be more written about this lovely little movie. This is a real gem that seems to have slipped through the net, which is a real pity. I had no expectations and knew nothing about it when I stumbled upon it, and I have been trying to persuade all of my friends to see it since then.

It's one of those rare family movies that really feels authentic. There's nothing hokey here, and no obvious, cheesy dialog. The little directorial flourishes are sweet and unobtrusive and flow naturally with the story, which although sometimes whimsically told, has a deeply moving center.

Julianne Moore deftly handles an extremely tricky role. She manages to convey the complexities in a character that on the surface, and in lesser hands, could read as drippy and one-dimensional. Instead as we see this woman's challenging life play out, we respect her more and more, and truly feel invested in what becomes of her remarkable spirit.

All in all, a wonderful surprise, beautifully executed. See it.

I am an enormous fan of Julianne Moore (ok she should not have done that Hannibal movie, but whose perfect?) and added this flick to my Netflix queue based on that. What a delightful surprise this movie turned out to be.

The story of a struggling mother, her ten children and her boozy, irresponsible husband is a charming, memorable and moving film.

The family is broke and the kids keep coming and Dad isn't bringing home much, and has a strong taste for the drink, what options does a busy mother have? She can't get a job. Married women didn't work back then and with ten children, how could she? Evelyn Ryan, Julianne's character, finds a solution: contesting. Back in the 50's contests were all the rage and if you could write a jingle, had strong alliteration skills, you could be a winner! Never preachy and without a note of false 'triumph' the film is quietly elegant and packs a punch teaching us more about the role of women in that era, the Catholic Church, and dealing with adversity than a dozen Lifetime message movies of the weeks.

Where on earth did this movie hide? If I recall correctly it barely played and was limited to the Art House circuit. Where was the Miramax style campaign that could have easily turned this into a mainstream box office sensation? Was someone asleep at the wheel?