Saving Sarah Cain

I loved the movie so much I watched it three times. It showed people in desperate, difficult situations, either from within themselves or from circumstances beyond their control, and how all those things were ultimately overcome. How could I not love it? It started with despair, pain, and betrayal, but further on everything changed with hope, comfort, understanding, and love. Most importantly, it had a point. If some missed it, maybe later, somewhere down their own road, they'll see what it was.

I would have given the film a 10 until I saw the deleted scenes on the DVD and thought they left the best parts of the story on the cutting room floor. Perhaps they were removed because the theme of family, love, and God might have been viewed as too strong, or one-sided, or forcing someone else's beliefs on the audience. Their absence may have caused some to regard it as 'sappy', or then again, maybe not. Each of us sees things from our own perspective. What I consider my loss - the deleted scenes, some others' loss (in my opinion) - what it was really all about.

Michael Landon Jr. is great at writing for his core audience. My wife and I loved the movie and even my 8-year-old came in and started watching it. It has solid acting (*except* for Elliot Gould, IMO), especially for children in difficult roles.

I can't believe that a movie of this quality was originally made on a cable network budget! The soundtrack is among the top 5 that I have ever heard. It really captures the emotion and drama and features some great modern but sensitive tracks by Mark Mckenzie featuring a couple outstanding tracks by Sixpence None The Richer and Barlowgirl. I rarely say "Wow, that was a great soundtrack," (last time was The Mission, I think) so it really stood out, especially since TV movies usually have lousy soundtracks.

If you like Michael Landon Jr.'s other movies (or the typical "Hallmark" movie), you will love this one.

Powerful, funny, heartwarming, and triumphant, Saving Sara Cain is a captivating film directed by Michael Landon Jr. and featuring performances from Academy Award nominees Elliott Gould and Tess Harper.

Sarah Cain (Lisa Pepper) is sweet, successful, slightly self-absorbed and a city girl through and through. But when the untimely death of her sister draws her to Amish country for the funeral, she makes a discovery that will changer her life; she is now the legal guardian to five Amish nieces and nephews! Desperately trying to juggle the kids, her career and her comfort level, Sarah must reevaluate her priorities as she prepares for the biggest culture shock of everyone's lives! My wife and I really enjoyed watching this movie. It is on par with Michael's other works; beautiful cinematography, score, storytelling, etc. We can sure relate to the challenge of living in the world, but not becoming of the world. Highly recommended.

Overall this was a good film, but being friends with some Amish people and living close by, the inaccuracies bothered me. The plot and storyline were good and the actors were pretty good, but the directing could have been a little better. The inaccuracies, mainly the way they pronounced Lancaster and the fact that they spoke high German instead of Pennsylvania Dutch, just seemed to ruin the movie to me. It also bothered me that they didn't use the right accents. If you don't know any Amish or Pennsylvania Dutch, you will most likely think this is a pretty good movie. If you know the Amish or some Pennsylvania Dutch you won't enjoy this movie as much. I did enjoy the fact that they portrayed them as people not just "outsiders" as they usually view the "English," but, in my opinion, if you are going to include the Amish in a film, it should be a little more accurate to their culture.

"Saving Sarah Cain" is a respectful look at a Pennsylvania Amish community. Like the film "Witness", it assumes that its characters are rational people with understandable motives for the choices they make, rather than members of an altogether alien world. There is a minor problem with the attributed location of the story. Although the movie was filmed partly in Lancaster County, PA, a comment is made that Pittsburgh (not Philadelphia) is "the nearest big city". This only makes sense if the characters are members of the New Wilmington, PA Amish community, or of nearby towns. The Western Pennsylvania Amish are a thriving and interesting bunch, and authenticity here would have added to the flavor of the film.