A Map of the World

It is a pity that "A Map of the World" was not better directed. It had it all, a wonderful story, brilliant actors but the movie somehow lacked guidance. In spite of this problem, Sigourney Weaver was nothing short of magnificent, her performance did deserve an Academy Award nomination. It is astonishing how well she plays roles that range from comedy to drama, always doing it beautifully. If "A Map of the World" were to be directed by somebody else, it would have been a masterpiece.

Sigourney Weaver offers a marvellous performance in this film, playing mother and school nurse Alice Goodwin, whose world is torn apart after the death of a friend's child on her property, and the lodging of a sexual assault charge by the mother of one of the students she deals with on a regular basis.

This is most definitely NOT a light movie. It has adult themes, and some very troubling subject matter. As good as Weaver is, the supporting cast also offers some very powerful moments. David Strathairn portrays Howard Goodwin, Alice's husband, as he helplessly watches the community turn against the entire family, and as he struggles with the decisions that need to be made to free Alice. Julianna Moore (as Theresa Collins, the mother whose child died while being watched by Alice) is very believable as the grieving mother, struggling with her anger toward Alice over her daughter's death, and yet also convinced that the assault charges against her are ridiculous. The scenes between Strathairn and Collins, both playing vulnerable characters dealing with circumstances completely beyond their control, are raw with emotion. The only performance I found truly disappointing was that of Arliss Howard as attorney Paul Reverdy. I didn't find him believable in the role.

All in all, though, this is a strong movie, and well deserves an 8/10.

Strong performances by Sigourney Weaver and Julianne Moore highlight this involving and, at times emotionally draining film about the boundaries that are inherently a part of our lives, and the limits of those boundaries, both in how much we are able to give, as well as how much we can take. `A Map of the World,' directed by Scott Elliott, examines the confines of the parameters within which an individual must live, and the finite capacity of any one person to endure stress that exceeds the specific limitations established for that individual by nature. And it's not a matter of one knowing one's limitations; rather it is a matter of knowing how to cope with the results, once one has been driven past the breaking point into a world that can no longer be viewed in black and white, but only in shades of gray-- that point beyond right or wrong or what is politically correct; the point at which nothing matters but survival-- how to live in a world that can have so much to offer, while being so relentlessly unmerciful and decidedly unforgiving at the same time.

Transplanted from the big city to a farm in Wisconsin, Alice and Howard Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver, David Strathairn) are attempting to make a go of their own dairy business. But it isn't easy. Howard is immersed in his work, while Alice, in addition to taking on the full time responsibilities and pressures of raising their two daughters and maintaining the household, also works as a school nurse. And though Alice likes her life, the constant strain of keeping her own life on task, as well as seemingly everyone else within her sphere of existence, begins to take a toll on her.

With no respite from the daily grind, Alice becomes increasingly exhausted and exasperated. She finds some solace in her close friend, Theresa Collins (Julianne Moore), but what she really needs is some time to herself; some time to clear her head and regroup. Instead, an unexpected summer tragedy strikes the Goodwin and Collins households, which damages Alice's much needed relationship with Theresa. And as if that isn't enough, further trials and tribulations are about to descend upon Alice-- one of those curves life has a way of throwing at you when it's least expected, or needed. And it's something that will test the limits of Alice's capacity to endure, more than ever before.

Working from a remarkably insightful screenplay by Peter Hedges and Polly Platt (adapted from the novel by Jane Hamilton), director Elliott presents a genuinely honest film that takes an in-depth look at what it often takes just to `maintain' on a daily basis, and the very real issues and situations that a person like Alice is apt to encounter. From the very beginning, Elliott establishes the credibility of the film by creating an atmosphere and setting that is entirely real-- so real, in fact, it will be more than a bit disconcerting to many who will so readily be able to identify with Alice and relate to her situation. And, having effected such realism, Elliott then moves on to deliver a thoroughly engrossing, emotional drama, which he renders with great care and sensitivity.

Elliott achieves success with this film through an obviously keen understanding of the material, the story, and the characters and their corresponding attitudes and reactions to given situations. And he keeps it `real' throughout by eschewing any superfluous melodrama or sub-plots, the likes to which a film like this in lesser hands could easily lend itself. In the final analysis, Elliott knows what he wants to convey, and furthermore, knows how to do it by exacting the kind of performances from his actors that really sells it.

As often happens (too often, in fact), the extraordinary performances in this film were inexplicably overlooked (as well as the film itself) and/or ignored. Sigourney Weaver gives a commanding performance as Alice, arguably as affecting and effective as the work that earned Hillary Swank the Oscar this year for her portrayal of Brandon Teena in `Boys Don't Cry.' This is quite simply some of the best work Weaver has ever done, and it's a shame that she has not enjoyed the kind of acclaim that would accompany such an accomplishment in a perfect world. Which adds some irony to the whole thing, inasmuch as part of what this film is attempting to convey (and does so, successfully) is that we do not, in fact, live in a perfect world. All that aside, this is a memorable portrayal, in which Weaver exhibits a phenomenal depth and range of emotion.

The field was strong in the Supporting Actress category this year (Angelina Jolie received the gold for `Girl Interrupted'), but Julianne Moore's performance here stands alongside any of those honored with a nomination for their work. Like Weaver, Moore faced the challenge of creating a character that is so mainstream and `normal'-- one of those everybody's neighbor or the-clerk-at-the-store type of roles-- that the real difficulty lay in making it look so natural, which when successfully effected, makes it all look so `easy.' Which is exactly what Moore did with her portrayal of Theresa. And-- again, like Weaver-- it's a performance for which she has never received the deserved acknowledgement. Suffice to say, it's terrific work, and a big part of what makes this film so emotionally stirring.

Also effective is David Strathairn as Alice's self-absorbed husband, Howard, a man suffering from a terminal case of tunnel vision. How good he is here, in fact, can be measured by the feelings of disdain he manages to evoke toward his character, which at times, is quite substantial.

The supporting cast includes Arliss Howard (Reverdy), Louise Fletcher (Nellie), Sara Rue (Debbie) Nicole Parker (Sherry) and Aunjanue Ellis (Dyshett). An ardently thought provoking film, `A Map of the World' invites a sense of introspection and reflection; a film that's definitely going to make you do some thinking. 9/10.

kudos to Sigourney Weaver for yet another outstanding and sympathetic performance. David Straithairn also is effective as the husband, caught in a web of chaos; Weaver as a school nurse is accused of child abuse in a small Wisconsin town; this after a child she is babysitting accidentally drowns. (The mother of the drowned child is portrayed by Julianne Moore).

Look for an excellent part with Arliss Howard as the defense attorney; it is a shocking surprise that 5 other children come forward accusing Weaver; it develops into a sort of witch hunt- and the actress playing the prosecutor is quite odious.

"A Map of the World" is not an easy story to take to; there are many complicated and also malicious sides of several characters; The character Weaver portrays is complex; guilty, and angry about a child accidentally dying, she accepts prison as an appropriate sentence, and even injures herself; She remains sympathetic however, throughout this film, and that is a rare talent that many actors could NEVER carry off. A must see. 9/10.

Stage director Scott Elliott had his hands full with this story, and while it has its moments, overall his choices didn't really add up to a winner. Some people have sleighted this movie because of how "quickly" the trial is taken care of near the end, but in fact the book is the same way, and for good reason: the trial is not what the story is about. Unfortunately, as with so many book-to-film translations, the poetry of the prose and thus some of the deeper meanings are lost. Some of the changes between the film and the book work effectively to condense dozens of pages into one idea (the "wall of baby pictures" in the jail helps quickly convey Alice's changing relationship with her unit mates), but other changes only serve to hammer home a point that was made with much more subtlety in the book. (Did we really need angry graffiti on the side of the Goodwin's house? WE GET IT -- the town didn't like them!) Pat Metheny's original soundtrack was beautifully melodic, as he usually is, but it didn't fit in with the feel of the movie, and surprisingly, it didn't have much of the Midwest sensibilities one would expect from a composer from Missouri. Nonetheless, this movie will at least be worth a video rental, especially if you are a Sigourney Weaver fan and want to see her doing something other than an _Alien_ pic. While it took me awhile to warm to it, her portrayal of Alice in the end is stunning, and much more complex than anything else in this movie.