Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Carolina (Julia Stiles) might be termed the sane one in an Addams-like family. Her grandmother (Shirley MacLaine) is notorious for doing and saying what she likes in their southern town. Sister Georgia is single and pregnant from a one night stand and sister Maine is a rocking horse-riding, lottery obsessed girl. The family's father is a semi-recovering alcoholic who turned to drink after the mother's death. Oh, and Aunt Marilyn is a madam. Only Carolina seems to be the white bread type, having a job in television and a British businessman for a boyfriend. However, Carolina has a long relationship with the handsome writer next door, Albert (Alessandro Nivola). It has been a friendship; could it ever be anything else? Amid the chaos of a very strange family situation, a nice love story emerges. Stiles is wonderful as the beautiful young lady who loves her family but hopes to live a more sedate life. MacLaine is really quite nice, also, as the eccentric grandmother and the other cast members are fine. However, the story is a stroll down life in extremes, careening from one bizarre incident to another. Maybe there are families like this one but, if you ever meet one, run for your life. That said, if you wish to locate another sorta-romcom for the evening, you might try this one, especially if you have seen most of the other light comedy-and-romance films that are out there.

I had never heard of this movie but rented it because I thought the description sounded interesting. My husband and I loved it so much that we ended up watching it three times before returning the movie. I haven't usually been a fan of Julia Stiles' but I did very much enjoy her acting in this movie and I also thought Shirley McLean and Jennifer Coolidge were great. Whoever was in charge of casting really knew how to do their job well. I have decided to buy the DVD if I can find it. I do have a question that I hope someone might be able to answer. In the movie, there is a little dog with cute black ears that belongs to Shirley McLean's character. Does anyone know what breed this dog is? I would really appreciate knowing what kind of dog this is as we would love to buy one just like it.

Not a masterpiece, even a great movie, but very worth watching. Quite good performances too, specially from MacLaine, as always, and Stiles, who deserves a challenging role right now, and not two scenes in The Bourne Supremacy. And well, it's that an American romantic comedy doesn't treat the public as stupids, which isn't completely surprising, but it's great to know that, sometimes, they can make it better than anyone. Because it wouldn't be so charming if it were an European film, it would be more cynical... (despite the fact that Carolina is directed by a dutch woman).Anyway, in a perfect world, there would be more movies like this one.

*may contain a few spoilers*Carolina is an unusual movie (and character) in the fact that even in a family as dysfunctional as hers is, family always comes first. Rather than be weighted down by her past Carolina does her utmost to rise above it and make her life a bit more complete than the fractured past which she had grown up with, all the while she (and others) continue to make the same mistakes that got them there to begin with. Overall the movie had a decent flow, and outstanding acting by all parties involved. There were a few areas it lacked in, one of the most notable was the ending which was as fractured as Carolina's family was. There were too many paths revealed without anything coming to fruition. There was also the possibility of more conflict (which was implied by the families action) which was never capitalized on. Apart from the fact that family stayed together, it failed to show any other values you would hope from a family movie. Instead you see each person falling into the same mistakes that their parents had without truly overcoming anything.Overall it is very watchable, but expect to be left with a few questions at the end.