Plainsong

This is a gentle, low key story about a pregnant 17 year old girl whose mother rejects her, and the people who rise to the occasion and care for her. It's very well cast with America Ferrera (the young actress from "Real Women Have Curves) as the girl, Aidan Quinn and Rachel Griffiths as the high school teachers and Megan Follows (Anne Shirley from the wonderful Sullivan Films production of "Anne of Green Gables") as Quinn's wife. It was lovely to see Marion Seldes on screen again too. The story is predictable, but the writing and acting is lovely. If you like gentle dramas and very real characters, this made for TV (Hallmark Hall of Fame) movie will be worth your time.

This film would make a great TV Series because it was very down to earth about every day living with average American people in a town which manages to solve its own problems. There is a wife who just simply cannot stand the every day life of having two sons and a husband to care for and just wants to stay in bed or run away to her sister who lives in a big city apartment. There is also a young girl who finds out she is going to have a baby and her mother throws her out of the house and she winds up living with two old kind men on their ranch! This was a film the entire family could enjoy and learn a very important message about love and caring for your fellow neighbor and close friends. All problems have a solution and good comes out of all bad situations.

I loved the book and I loved the tv version. Every actor was superb. I skipped the Sopranos to watch this and I'm glad I did. Bravo to everyone associated with it. Aidan Quinn was so right as the dad and Brenda from Six Feet Under was perfect as the girlfriend. The three seniors in the story were best of all, the two ranchers and the old lady who dies. I could not get over how moving they were. Then there were the two little boys. They were real, not at all actor-y. The film managed to convey and America so at variance from the cold place many of us experience. It almost made me want to head west. One last thing: the thuggy teenager was also fine as were his repulsive parents. BUT BEST OF ALL was the writing.

Plainsong is an excellent example of a book that should never have been made into a movie. It would take at least a mini-series to do justice for this novel. ANyone who has not read the book would be lost for a good portion of the film. Aiden Quinn made an excellent performance. Good casting for the McPheron brothers. Because I have read the book, I had high expectations for this movie, even if it was for tv (and Hallmark for that matter). However, the movie did have a 'simplicity' to it, which is the most credit it can get in comparison to its book. I would encourage anyone who found any interest in the film to read the book. In lieu of remakes, I suggest mini-series sans greeting card commercials.

I usually read a book and then am disappointed in the movie. America Ferrara kept me from feeling that way about "Plainsong." She carried the film. Kent Haruf's book was wonderful, and she was wonderful in portraying the character of the young woman, pregnant and disowned, central to the action. Her talent elevated this Hallmark flick WAY above the norm.

I am glad she has a new venue on mainstream TV, and hope we will see a lot more of her in big screen releases. She is not a traditional beauty, yet she has leading lady presence. She is someone I hope to see a lot of in the future.