Am I Missing Something?

A Disappointing Continuation

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Giving one of the most amazing performances of her incredible career, Emily Watson brings compassion, love, and beauty to this otherwise mediocre film. As is almost always the case, Watson rises above the material and essays a character that in unforgettable in its depth, realism, and passion. There is no debate as to Emily Watson being the finest actor of our time and this film serves as another showcase for her astounding talent and artistry. In even minor roles, Watson captures a film and makes it her own to the extent that other actors in a piece strive to give exceptional performances themselves. Anyone who truly appreciates cinema and recognizes genius when they see it will see Emily Watson's name in the credits and make a point of seeing the film. Watson is a divine gift to any director and an artist that touches the very souls of audiences whenever she graces the screen with yet another masterful moment of cinematic greatness.

Yes I loved it. I picked it up (the film) just because Emily Watson was in it. I haven't seen many of her pictures, maybe 4 or 5, but then, they were all very good films, and I consider her such a fine actress that to see her name prompted my decision to rent this film. I suppose that after 30 films or so where she has been appearing, the fact that she is no beauty queen, made her come to her senses and realize that the best action for her in the movies was to be a natural, plain, excellent actress (my speculation, probably not hers). She bet on that and she won. I'm sure she worked more than many pretty faces known today forgotten tomorrow. This film is excellent. Everything in it works --I just found out that it was a made for TV production, a thing I never noticed while watching it (another point for never reading reviews before watching a movie). From the acting to the technical, no complains. The plot touches on a very delicate subject and it treats it superbly well. The unfolding of the original problem grows more and more out of any possible previous consideration, as much as a snowball rolls down the hill gathering more snow and becoming so huge that eventually will crush against the first firm obstacle in its way, as it was the case in this poignant story. The last scene is an overwhelming tear jerker, but then, a high class one, perfectly suited as a conclusion to the whole movie. Do not miss it!!

I'm not sure how the 1 out of ten made the top comments, considering the movie is rated 6.4 at this time, but c'mon IMDb? It was a touching story. Not great, but certainly not a 1. It's kind of embarrassing that this rating somehow made their top review. A one? Someone has to filter out these kinds of ratings. There's really no basis for such a bad rating, and the average score undoubtedly backs that statement up. I don't mean to rant about it, but I can't help but feel that someone has to be held accountable for misleading the potential viewer, and I have to make this rant at least ten lines, so I'm trying to do what I can to make that happen. I think I just did it. Thanks.

a novel has a reading group study guide at the back. It's as if the author or publisher knows that the novel itself isn't strong enough to merit lively discussion without prompts or cues.That appendix of Kim Edwards's "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" provided a handy script for the Lifetime movie adaptation. But it makes a big gaffe, and it's a doozy: the title character and her brother are almost incidental!I read the book to the end mainly because I found Caroline Gill to be such a very strong, very compelling character. I never pictured Emily Watson in the role, although she is superb, given what she has to work with. But what is an actress of Watson's caliber doing in a middling TV movie anyway?Dermot Mulroney, as David Henry, is doomed from the start. In the book the reader doesn't so much feel what David is going through as he is told.The script doesn't bring the character any more to life, and Mulroney is not actor enough to fill in the blanks, nor to overcome the ghastly work by the makeup department in his final scenes.In the book and movie, David's wife Norah is used as a coat hanger over which to drape issues afflicting the disillusioned housewife: suspicion, booze, affairs, a time-killing job and self-absorption. In the thankless role, Gretchen Mol follows Spencer Tracy's advice; she hits her marks and doesn't bump into the furniture.Oh, well. There have been far worse books and far worse movies made from them. The novel "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" touches on so many issues that it explores only a few of them very thoroughly. The movie wisely cuts out many a subplot and yet it still feels long, sluggish and predictable. It's too bad that Lifetime Network, which has a huge following, doesn't spend a little more coin and effort making better movies from better stories.