User reviews

The book is wonderful, one of my favourite and most memorable reads in recent years. It was thought-provoking, harrowing and poignant, with a chillingly troubled but complex portrayal of dysfunctional family life. So there were high expectations on that front, as well as that a great cast were involved.

Seeing 'The Glass Castle' last night, it is a pretty well done film on its own terms despite a few faults. On the other hand, it is very understandable why it has been said that as an adaptation it is mishandled. Although always striving to judge a film adaptation always as a standalone, if asked which is better between the book and the film the answer's a no brainer. The book feels much more balanced and more complex and the ending rang true far more. Although 'The Glass Castle' has a huge amount to recommend and is better than some of the mixed critical reception suggests (personal opinion), its ending and some tonal issues are its biggest faults.

Particularly in the case of the ending. Not just because it is drenched in sentimentality that is hard even for the strongest of stomachs. Even more so because things feel wrapped up too tidily and patly, the ending is far more realistic in the source material and should have made it on film, definitely would have preferred something more daring than a conclusion that really did not ring true and felt tacked on. Another issue with the ending is that we are told up to the end one thing about Rex and Rose Mary, and it is so overwhelming in evidence that it's easy to believe, then at the end it does a complete 180 degrees and it was just hard to buy.

While not as problematic, things do get a little melodramatic in places and the point of view of the film is somewhat too one-sided, with much more development to Rose Mary and showing her as equally accountable there would have been more complexity.

However, 'The Glass Castle' is a beautifully shot film and the production values are never less than top drawer. The music is neither too intrusive or too low-key and the direction is skillful visually, handles most of the tonal and time shifts well and with good attention to making the portrayal of the family as real as possible.

Script flows naturally and is thought-provoking and nuanced. The story has its problems, but mostly it is very compelling, hard-hitting and pathos-filled. It's particularly good in its careful balance of laughter and tears, the intense but also profound understanding of the central father-daughter bond and in the twisted but troubled portrayal of the dysfunctional family. Apart from Rose Mary being underwritten and underused, the characters are more than archetypal clichés, Jeannette is especially well realised.

Woody Harrelson gives a courageously gutsy performance as a pretty reprehensible human being, while Brie Larson's Jeanette is powerfully conflicted. All the children are well cast, with Ella Anderson in particular being an absolute revelation. Naomi Watts does a very good job with what she has.

In conclusion, adaptation-wise it is mishandled and the ending really doesn't ring true at all, but it's a well made emotional roller-coaster with a believable portrayal of dysfunctional family life and stellar performances deserving of some kind of award recognition (Harrelson, Larson and Anderson in particular). 7/10 Bethany Cox

This movie really bothered me. Rex Walls was not a misunderstood man whose demons excused the neglect and abuse he made his family suffer. He was a drunk con-artist who made his family suffer by not providing them with food or shelter. He was also an expert in conning his children into believing that he actually loved and cared about them. The Mom was not portrayed properly, she was equally complicit with the neglect and horrible childhood those children endured. The movie should have been about the children and how they somehow managed to thrive, not their horrible alcoholic father and lazy mother.

As the sister of someone extremely like Rex, I was disturbed, heart- broken, and reminded of my life growing up with an unpredictable, intelligent, unstable, and sometimes very charming man. His children loved him inexplicably but they are still living with the effects of their tumultuous life.

This movie, in my opinion, was fabulous. It was well paced and the dual story lines of past and current day melded beautifully. All of the acting was superb. Woody Harrelson deserves an Academy Award and all of the child actors were phenomenal. I was especially impressed by Ella Anderson who played young Jeannette. She expressed so clearly her emotions, both love, hurt, and anger at her father and with that I believe she also deserves kudos.

Go see this movie if you enjoy deep, emotional, thought-provoking films.

Greetings again from the darkness. We all have our stories. The stories that make up our life. Some of us dwell on the "bad" things, while others remember only the good times. A few even romanticize the past, which could also be termed embellishment. Where exactly on this scale that Jeannette Walls' story falls is debatable, but the facts are that her life story is the foundation for a best-selling book and now a high-profile movie.

Ms. Walls' memoir describes her unconventional childhood with bohemian parents who cared more for freedom and independence than for feeding their kids. Writer/Director Destin Daniel Cretton (a 'must-follow' filmmaker after his powerful 2013 indie gem SHORT TERM 12) chose this as his next project, co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Lanham, and wisely opted to work again with Brie Larson, who stars as the oldest Jeannette (from late teens through adult).

The film bounces around in time from Jeannette's childhood in the 1960's and 1970's to her time as a New York gossip columnist in 1989. The timeline isn't all that bounces, as we watch this family of six, seemingly always on the run, ricochet across America with all their belongings strapped to the top of the battered station wagon – usually on the run from creditors or following the latest dream from Rex (Woody Harrelson).

Rex is the type of guy who rants against most everything that makes up what we know as society. He can't (or won't) hold a job and fills his trusting kids' heads with hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow - going as far as drawing up plans and specs for the off-the-grid fantasy home referenced in the title. Rex then spends what little money the dirt poor family has on drinking benders which cause him to become a nasty, abusive threat.

Rex's wife Rose (Naomi Watts) is a free-spirited artist who somehow possesses even fewer parental instincts than her husband. Although she could be labeled an enabler of his abusive ways, she might actually be the more interesting of the two, even if the story (and Jeannette) focuses much more on Rex. The best scene in the movie is when mother and grown daughter share a restaurant booth, and the two worlds collide.

Of course the real story here is how Jeanette managed to rise above this less-than-desirable childhood and achieve her own form of freedom as a writer. The stark contrast between the squalor of her West Virginia shack and the million dollar apartment she later shares with her fiancé (Max Greenfield) makes this the ultimate depiction of the American Dream – pulling yourself up by your bootstraps (even when you don't have boots).

The acting is stellar throughout. Mr. Harrelson could garner Oscar attention as he manages to capture both the dreamer and failure that was Rex. Ms. Watts maximizes her underwritten role and turns Rose into someone we believe we know and (at least partially) understand. Ms. Larson embodies both the desperation of a teenager whose environment forced her to be wise beyond her years, and the iciness of a grown-up trying so hard to leave the past behind. In just a few scenes, Robin Bartlett manages to create a memorable and horrific grandmother – one whose actions explain a great deal. The most remarkable performance of all, however, belongs to Ella Anderson (the only good thing about THE BOSS). She captures our hearts as the adolescent Jeannette – the closest thing to a parent this family had.

There are some similarities between this film and last year's expertly crafted CAPTAIN FANTASTIC. In fact, two of the young actors (Shree Crooks, Charlie Shotwell) from that film also appear in THE GLASS CASTLE. The biggest difference being that Viggo Mortensen's character could be considered to have an over-parenting approach, while Woody Harrelson's Rex never over-did anything, except drink and dream. The movie probably has a bit too much Hollywood gloss and sheen to adequately portray the hardships of a large family living in poverty, though the top notch acting keeps us glued to the screen. By the end, we can't help but wonder if some of Ms. Walls' romanticism of her father and past might be due as much to her immense writing talent as to her childhood challenges.

Raising children is not easy. Being a child growing up in an unstable relationship and general instability character wise (parents wise that is), is not easy either. This movie is not easy to watch is what I'm trying to say. But it is rewarding if you are into dramas and really good performances. The lines are blurred between good and bad, and what parenting is about and how or what you should learn from the usually most important people in your life.

Woody Harrelson gives a powerhouse performance, which elevates but is also enhanched through the other great performances. As the saying goes, what doesn't kill you ... So if you like slow moving drama with a distraught time line, this is the one you may like

This may not be a movie to watch if you were raised in a dysfunctional family. It may bring back unpleasant memories as it did for me. I had to first read some of the critic reviews to see if their reactions were like mine. They were to a large degree. The problem lies with the premise that such bad parents as the Walls, can somehow at movies end have a happy face put on it. Make no mistake, this is an unpleasant movie featuring first rate actors trying to make a flawed screen adaptation work. Ella Anderson is the star of the movie, but Woody Harrelson plays such a bad dad, it is hard to buy into the sympathetic ending. Brie Larson is good but her playing the adult Jeanette Walls is the less interesting part of the story.

I read the book many years ago when it first came out and found it fascinating. The film may not be up to some people's wants - there is not enough time to tell the whole story. Four children born into a very dysfunctional family. An eccentric mother who probably should not have had children, married to an alcoholic dreamer - and a talker of his dreams. BUT neither take good care of the children and the children end up raising themselves. I have always felt that all families are dysfunctional - with varying levels of function. Woody's character has many issues from his childhood and only one is made known. He has many demons to fight and mostly he doesn't fight - he dreams. I am not a fan of Woody Herrelson however this is a good role for him. I am most impressed with the acting of the younger cast - to be able to show the real emotions of those siblings - well done. I think it tells the story well given the obvious time constraints of a film. The emotions ere and believable.

"Your values are all confused." Rex (Woody Harrelson)

Fortunate we all are to have families that dysfunction in even small ways because they provide us with stories for a lifetime. Such is writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton's The Glass Castle, a story based on Jeannette Wells's (Brie Larson) family, overloaded by a dad, Rex,whose outsized personality, big brain, and capacity for booze dominates the four children through their adult years.

The commendable element infused by writers Cretton and Andrew Lanham is the realism enfolding odd characters, where bad things happen when dad drinks and kids have to forage for food while dad shrinks their little lives as he drinks. Having no food for days is not unusual for the Wells family, due to dad's drinking up their meager holdings. However, the kids learn how to survive, a commendable achievement in a dependent world, even in later 20th century.

Jeannette's and Rex's relationship is the ballast of this sometimes surreal film; artist mother Rose Mary (Naomi Watts) is too busy painting to be bothered with their hunger or dad's ranting. Jeannette's early accident with the stove is a visceral reminder that the bohemian life can hold some dangerous consequences.

Yet Rose's artistry is probably a source for Jeannette's writing excellence as dad's verbal fluidity is. Although he's the smartest man his daughter ever knew, he just doesn't stop talking. The film very smartly lets us see the dark and light sides of the characters, not unbefitting a West Virginia where talking is like breathing—colorful and crass but you have to do it to survive.

The central motif of the title is the glass castle Rex hoped to build, an energy efficient beauty with glass all around to let Nature in without letting the rough invade. Well, it never gets built, and the world does intrude. Happy for us because it's a great story, just like our own.

While the reconciliation at the end seems too neatly tied up, most of the film has a grit to remind us that although family is not always fair, it may be the best life has to offer.

The acting and writing for this movie are great, however, I think it missed the mark in terms of what of this incredible story the screen writers chose to focus on. I read the book as an amazing story of resilience, and while the film certainly didn't shy from the fact that Walls thrived despite the neglect and emotional abuse she endured as a child, it played more like a story about her relationship with her father than as a personal story about her tenacity to survive despite it all. I found the book inspiring. The movie didn't inspire as much as it pulled the heart strings. In the end her parents looked a bit too sympathetic, and I left the theater feeling that us viewers were robbed of some of the most raw and telling details her of her childhood, the details that best illustrated just how trying and unique her life was growing up. In all, though I thought the acting was great, I think the meat of Jeanette's personal story of transformation was sacrificed to make space for telling the specific story of her relationship with her father.

One of The Glass Castle's strongest aspects is how it takes an experience unique to a small amount of people, and makes it so relatable to the masses. 99% of the people watching this movie have not had an upbringing like Jeanette's, but the film crafts the story in a way that you can form parallels to your own life. This isn't just telling the story of someone's childhood; it becomes a commentary on the ups and downs of family life itself. And that's where The Glass Castle becomes something more profound. Some may have seen this relatability as a simplification of child abuse. But I would disagree. The movie never painted what happened in the film as a good thing. It never tried to spin that the parents for justified for how they chose to raise their kids. Instead, they showed that, when you boil it all down, the dysfunction between Jeanette and her parents stem from the same place as other people's parental issues. Instead of isolating the audience by showing us something completely and utterly foreign to us, they chose to make it relatable so that we could draw comparisons to our own lives...

I find these types of films to be fascinating. Movies are about escapism, they always have been. So I appreciate when films attempt to actually bring you into a world which you have never explored. Leave No Trace, Captain Fantastic, and now The Glass Castle are all films that deal with families living in places/areas that are unlike where/how 99% of Americans live. It doesn't get everything right, but I did find some of the film to be very appealing. However, the critics of the film commenting on the fact that the film has a jumbled tone of dark abusive family relationship mixed with a hilarious family "road trip" like comedy at times. From what I hear, the book is a deep, emotional tale of a dysfunctional family trying to put together the missing pieces from childhood. Make no mistake though, there are some disturbing sequences in this film that show abuse far more so than I figured this film would tackle. The performances are great, and that keeps the film afloat in its weaker moments, and ultimately it's certainly an interesting watch.

7.1/10

First off, I have never read the book the film is based on and had no real understanding of what I was about to watch. But I decided to go to the theater today and give it shot. I had recently watched "short term 12" also directed be Destin Daniel Cretton. Since he was on my radar I noticed "The glass castle" was just being released so I figured why not see it but unfortunately it didn't really feel like a valuable use of my time.

Like previous reviewers have said this film is not nearly as effective as a movie like "captain fantastic" in depicting a unconventional family. All in all it just feels very dry and pointless, in a strange way. I can't recommend this one. Really wanted to like it.

I went to see this because I'm a fan of the cast. This film is a small and often depressing drama about a woman who grew up in a nomadic, impoverished family with an alcoholic and abusive father. Brie Larson plays the protagonist (as an adult,) and her parents are played by Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts.

The performances in this film are generally quite strong. Larson gives an emotional performance as the lead actress, bringing a lot of grit and tenacity to the role. Harrelson successfully treads a fine line playing an erratic and unstable character. Watts--while underused to some extent--does a good job playing the wife, who is shown as a complex and multi-dimensional character well beyond the traditional and generic "wife" characterization often used in feature films. While the acting (and cinematography) are impressive, the film's narrative is very flawed. The film's tone often feels melodramatic and souped-up rather than truly emotionally powerful. This tone is, without a doubt, the film's Achilles heel. Such a problem with the tone is evident throughout the film, as many scenes in the film's first half seem primarily designed to generate a standard response from an audience than portray something--or depict any thoughtful critique--about the characters. The second half of the film is generally an improvement, until the story builds to a cop-out of an ending. Worth a watch due to the acting, but wait to rent it. 6.5/10

'THE GLASS CASTLE': Four Stars (Out of Five)

The new drama adapted from the 2005 memoir (of the same name) by Jeannette Walls, based on her experiences growing up in a poor dysfunctional family. The film was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (who also helmed the 2013 critical darling 'SHORT TERM 12'), and it was written by Cretton and Andrew Lanham. The movie stars Brie Larson (who also starred in 'SHORT TERM 12'), Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson, Chandler Head and Max Greenfield. The film has received mixed reviews from critics, and it's performed modestly at the Box Office so far. I found it to be a little too long, and slow-paced, but it's mostly a very moving and enjoyable film.

The story is told from Jeannette's (Larson) point of view, as an adult, as she recollects on growing up as a child in extreme poverty. Her mother, Rose Mary (Watts), was an eccentric artist, and her father, Rex (Harrelson), was a free-spirited alcoholic. Jeannette, and her three siblings, were constantly forced to move, and often times they didn't have enough to eat, or ideally safe conditions to live in. The whole time Rex filled the children's heads with unrealistic hopes and dreams of a better life.

The movie is filled with one heartbreaking scene after another, I cried multiple times throughout the entire film. Larson plays the central character in it (as an adult), but Harrelson actually has far more screen time; and he's the real star of the movie (in my opinion) as well. As flawed a character as he is, Harrelson's character is also (in some ways) the most relatable, at least for me, due to his dreams and generally positive outlook on life. The film has many great moments in it too, but it seems to lose it's way at times, and it's sometimes a pain to sit through (due to it's pacing). 'SHORT TERM 12' is definitely a much better film, but this movie had a lot of potential to it. I think it's definitely still worth seeing.

Watch an episode of our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/j_XDrmlMJNY

It was not easy for Woody to play this character, but he did an outstanding job!!

I was transfixed by this movie despite the sadness due to the very good acting of all members of the family. But it revolved around Woody.

I totally disagree with the bad review I just read. I never read the book so maybe that is why?

The film claims to be based on a true story. Jeannette has hippie artist parents, which wouldn't be a problem in itself, but it borders on abuse and child neglect. Right at the start, mom asks the daughter which is more important, her own painting, or preparing a meal for the kids. And when confronted, the parents act violently, and show signs of mental illness. When the neglect causes the daughter's dress to catch on fire, burning the girl, dad says she just got too close to the "chaos". Good parenting. So we jump back and forth between the present and the childhood memories. And its all pretty painful to watch. Dad can't hold a job, so they have to keep moving on before the cops and bill collectors catch up. When Jeannette tells them she's getting married, they can't even be happy for her. So pour a drink, batten down the hatches, and press play. Pretty rough to watch. Storywise, it's fine... it's just a much rougher life than most of us grew up with. Based on the book by Jeanette Walls. Directed by Destin Cretton; has won TONS of film fest awards.

Since "Room", Brie Larson seems to be struggling to reclaim that spark that she had. While she gave a solid performance in "Kong: Skull island" and is now looking to be part of the MCU as Captain Marvel she hasn't kept such a great track record. "The Glass Castle" marks another mediocre film that Larson is a part of since "Room". However that's not to say that she performed poorly in "the glass castle", in fact she did pretty well with the material that she's got.

Woody Harrelson also stars in The glass castle as the father to Larson's character, Harrelson who also gave a relatable performance seems to be doing very well recently playing secondary characters but playing them very well.

So, about the movie itself, I found many parallels with a film released earlier this year, "Captain Fantastic". But, "the glass castle never really captures that spark that made me enjoy "Captain Fantastic" so much more than this film. While both films deal with odd family dynamics and internal struggles "The glass castle" just feels like it takes this idea to another extreme.

While in "Captain Fantastic" the cast of children learn and grow through their alternate lifestyle in "the glass castle", they rummage through trash piles as their father attempts to convince them of a beautiful future. In truth, they are rummaging through trash piles and are going nowhere because this father character, he's a deadbeat and has pretty much no redeeming factors to him. To me "the glass castle" glorifies this lifestyle and while I can't say that it is wrong I certainly don't stand by the film's choice to portray this story this way. The film makes it seem like a child's imagination and hope can make up for these poor living conditions but it just doesn't really work.

The film paints of picture that this father is such a great man where in truth, I don't see it at all. To me, the film's direction is misguided on the whole. But, there are redeeming factors, the acting was pretty good and the first act of the story before we learn that the film isn't really going anywhere is alright also. It is when we fit the later parts of the movie do we come to realize that the audience like the characters in the movie are just 'not going anywhere'.

Is there a message hidden somewhere in here, perhaps but the narrative and execution simply does not bring it out in a meaningful or understandable way.

We usually prefer to think of ourselves as better off without our family, taking on trials by ourselves. The 2005 memoir by Jeannette Walls proves to us otherwise: we need our family more than we can ever realize, no matter what turmoil they may put us through. While The Glass Castle certainly means well in execution, this literary adaptation still pales in comparison to the book.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton wrote the script, along with Andrew Lanham, both relatively new to the art of screen writing. However the blame for the feature's weak service to Jeannette lands more on the imbalanced editing by the Oscar-nominated Moonlight editor Nat Sanders. He made little clarity as to where or when you were in time, the only indicator being the actress playing the main character. Even then, by the third act, hardly anything useful tells you when you are in time, as the makeup artists did nothing to let you know of anybody's age. So consequently, it became harder to connect with Jeannette in her adult years. Obviously, the time-jumping narrative structure here worked a lot more fluidly on paper.

Director Cretton did little to communicate the book's intention with the lack of screen control, resorting for the most part on a rarely focused Steadicam. The post production process also looked a little too rushed, with little contrast in the inconsistent color grading.

His casting decision for the lead in particular deserves some serious questioning, because frankly, Brie Larson (Trainwrecked, Room) contradicts Jeannette Walls' true hair color or skin tone. Believe me, at the end credits, you get to see real home videos of the real family, and Cretton ought to lose credibility for ignoring the detail of appearance. The reasoning behind his casting here seems more to do with Brie's rising status as an A-list celebrity with a rocking body and normal everyday face. Although, it could have been worse, Jennifer Lawrence, who looks even less like Jeannette Walls, almost took the part instead.

Yet amongst the beautified celebrity sickness, it still communicates the hard truth about honoring our own family members, even the dysfunctional ones. The whole cast works to their greatest effort to prove love's complex nature, in a trial of finding the beauty in the struggle. Some research proves that "The Glass Castle movie is actually more accurate than the book," (Bustle) and in film, the extra explored possibilities unravel one alcoholic father's dangerous self-fear.

Consistently in Jeannette's point of view, we watch her lifelong hunt after the demons in her life as she basically had to raise herself and her three siblings as they live from their suitcases. At a young age, she burned herself while cooking lunch because her mother cared more about her oil painting. Her father lead her in forced swimming lessons by throwing her into the water, literally drowning her. Then he attacked the swimming pool manager after the lesson nearly killed her, leading to the family running off into the wilderness to live.

She wanted nothing more than her abusive father to stop drinking, but she still loyally stitched his wounds and stargazed with him until she became old enough to question why. Yes, the ups and downs she shared with her father come off strong, and his intentions, even if dangerous, always seemed good in his perspective for his little "mountain goat" (the nickname he gave her). He taught her an important philosophy she unconsciously kept throughout her life: "you learn from living, all else is a damn lie."

So with each dusty landscape, with each blanketing snowfall, with each new painting covering up the family's trash heap of a home, with each stick of butter mixed with sugar, with each traumatizing episode with the father's mother, you sweat in dizzying fury as you watch the difficulties the father put his family through, until the outcome at last gives you some hope. The feminism here also meets common ground— while the women here need no man to obtain completeness, one can still make her a more well-rounded individual, just like in real life.

Once the credits roll after the turmoil, the proper morals spark your lightbulb: whether run by drunks or supported by loving saints, your family stays your family, no matter what happens. We each need one another, because we can never achieve perfection on our own. Whoever read the book should be satisfied with the recreated feel of the reading experience. I don't think I can recommend it to anyone else unfamiliar with the book, better cinematic family dramas deserve your time, such as the recent Captain Fantastic, which communicate the hard truth in a more impactful way. So long story short, Walls' intent of The Glass Castle remains unscathed: forgiveness helps you just as much as it helps your debtor.