All We Had

Good movie!

Good movie!

... mom and daughter coming of age movie. My mom and I struggled growing up and I get it. If you like gritty independent films with truth in them, this is for you. Plus the entire cast is amaZing.

A Huge Slice of "Down and Out" Life is what the Directorial Debut of Actress Katie Holmes (who also stars) serves to Enquiring Minds and the Result is an Underrated, Heavily Clichéd, but ultimately Watchable Actor's Showcase. The Actor's bring to Life some Low-Life but Likable Characters Coalescing around a Struggling Small Town Diner. The Diner is an Island on a Sea that is Experiencing a "Perfect Storm" of Personal, Cultural, and Societal Devastation. Kathryn Reis is "Sally" the "Sister Looking" Daughter to a Mom (Katie Holmes), a Product of a "Child Services" Upbringing that was given No Tools or Education on the Subject of "Momhood". Running Scared the Duo Travel from Town to Town Living (barely) on Sheer Survival Skills and Luck. But once Stranded at the Diner and Forced to "Land" for some Repairs (to their car and themselves), They Encounter Counter Intuitive Folks who are Kind and Compassionate. Richard Kind as "Tiny" the Diner Owner, Eve Lindley (almost steals the show) as Transgender "Peter Pam", get it, and Luke Wilson as a Potential "Knight" to the Rescue, are all Superb in this Drama about the Hopes and Dreams of "Little People" and the Obstacles Obstructing an Easy Path from the "Storm" of Life". But there are "Lifelines" and "Lifeboats" along the way and the Two may, Perhaps, find a Comforting Port, despite the odds, if They keep Paddling in the Same Direction, Together.

Acting is excellent from the entire cast. Deep characterization kept my attention all the way through the film and so true to life experiences. Having never read the book, there is no disappointed view as other reviews I've read. I found the story and the struggles to be so realistic by these seasoned actors, it's spot on. Everything from acting, make up, wardrobe, set, directing, cinematography was excellent! A true gentleman of a movie.

The film has the strengths aforementioned on this site. But the improvisation, and other scenes like it, in the house between mother and daughter near the end failed and were very annoying. And there was something particularly unbelievable about Ruthie's rebelliousness at one point when things improved for her and her mother. Luke Wilson's role was performed masterfully.

Katie Holmes ( Rita ) played the white trash down on her luck mom really well. Stefania (Ruthie) was slightly to old for the part of the daughter she was playing. Still a good chemistry. Why would the diner that later employs Rita, employ a transsexual to be the lead waitress and not expect it to bring trouble and later closure. Why would a principal of a school that Ruthie attends who looks as rundown as Rita live across the road from Rita new house. Why would the dentist (Luke WIlson) be going to a sleazy looking A. A. meeting where he meets Rita. How would he keep his practice if he is a alcoholic? Why would the level headed Ruthie give in to peer pressure so quickly at the school openly smoking and doing drugs pretty much on arrival? Again why would Ruthie have such a character change when they seem to get on the right track toward the end going from level headed girl to spoilt angst brat? Cigarette smoking was heavy in this movie. Depictions of smoking are fine for realism but this was pretty much a constant through the movie. Still all in all watchable mainly for Katie Holmes who was terrific. I kinda liked it even if some of it was not believable.

Have you ever watched a movie that started out with a lot of promise and then it became a boring drag? "All We Had" is one of those. The main characters are interesting in the beginning but very quickly I was anxious for this thing to get over with because I no longer cared how it turned out. The acting was top notch and Caties Holmes' directing was adequate but the story was very clichéd and would have played better as a comedy.

Trigger Warning(s): Tooth Extraction | Transphobia Review (with Spoilers) Noted Actor(s) Ruthie (Stefania LaVie Owen) | Marty (Richard Kind) | Rita (Katie Holmes) | Peter Pam (Eve Lindley) Storyline All Rita wanted was for her daughter Ruthie to have a better life than she did. Problem is, Rita doesn't have anything to her name besides a car and a long string of bad relationships. Yet, things maybe looking up. After trying to dine and dash she meets a forgiving man named Marty who gives her a job and from there things were kind of looking up. Though with Rita's history of men, and some already sniffing around her skirt, who knows if her bad pattern will persist or if she will finally do right by Ruthie. Highlights Peter Pam The relationship between Peter Pam (a name I'm not sure is the character's assigned named and chosen name, or what) and Ruthie, as well as her relationship with Marty, I felt was so precious. To the point, you almost wished this movie was about her struggle with being trans, desiring to go to New York, but being ever so fearful about making it. Criticism Good Stories With Weak Development If you look at each individual character, there is an interesting story to tell. With Rita, you have a woman who grew up in the foster system who is probably in no way prepared to be a mother, yet she is trying her best. Of course, her best sometimes may not seem good enough, and she is probably doing more damage to Ruthie than she ever intended, since stability is not part of their lives, but she is trying. Then, switching to Ruthie, she has this mom that has given her a nomad life. One in which she has to steal to survive since her mom rarely has more than a few dollars in her pocket, from doing who knows what. Yet, this isn't the life she wants. She wants to go to school, maybe meet a cute guy and get to know him, friends! But someone has to take care of her mom. She has no one else. A statement which applies both ways. Then with Marty and Peter Pam you have the trans thing and him sticking up for her, and even the characters who aren't necessarily noteworthy, since they don't leave a strong impression, they could have had their stories beefed up to really mean something. That is, rather than this movie, assumingly, trying to make sure every character from its book source being noted and us getting a watered down version of the character. Overall: Mixed (Home Viewing) Like many an ensemble picture, with the film making it seem everyone could be the star, no one gets focused on, nor really developed enough, to have a quality performance. Which isn't to say the characters don't grow and change throughout the film, it is just the focus is so split that you don't get to witness and feel the full emotional weight of it. But, despite saying that, it is always nice to see more trans characters. Lavie Owen seems like she can have a decent career ahead of her and I'm leaving it at that.

How many times have I seen the formula for this film? Answer: Too many times. An alcoholic woman goes on the run with her bratty but more responsible teenage daughter in a crappy car. Along the way they get involved in escapades involving slimy boyfriends, petty shoplifting and a transsexual waitress. The mother's currency of choice is sex, and she utilises it relentlessly to try and pay for her motor repairs, keep her new job and house etc. while her petulant child just mopes around and complains. A likable pair, they ain't. A shaggy dog story at heart with a few easily navigable pitfalls along the way, the movie struggles to hold your attention during it's far too drawn-out 100 minute runtime, finally even switching the personalities of the main duo near the end to create some artificial tension. This is done with absolutely no foreshadowing or fanfare, proving that the director Katie Holmes (who drove Tom Cruise to jump onto Oprah's sofa. As you do) cares a lot more about the predictable banalities of the plot than anything approaching character development. I'm sure there are much better films of this ilk about. What are they? No idea. How's about you do your own homework, lazy? 5/10