Ever wonder where Jessica Chastain came from when she starred so brilliantly in The Debt? (Note: I lauded The Debt earlier on this site.) Well, it turns out that when she was a teen, maybe around 18, she played the starring role of Jolene. Wow, what an incredible tour de force!
The movie is a heart-wrenching drama. It's about a young teen who, having been mistreated earlier in foster homes, lives on the edge of disaster. The story opens with her marrying at 16. Does that tell you something about the flavor of the flick?
The narrative is first-person. The protagonist's words ring very true. We viewers feel the heartaches and disappointments of a kid whose maturity and judgment are lacking.
Without spoiling any of the plotline, I can safely say that the film follows young Jolene through a ten year period of her life, from about 16 to 26. During that time, the poor mistreated soul gets involved with a number of inappropriate older men...and women.
Apparently, part of the inspiration for the film came from Dolly Parton's touching song, Jolene. I checked out that song, and the lyrics are about a pretty young woman who is on the verge of stealing another woman's man.
This film is not easy to watch. But it touches a note of absolute, pure reality. Jessica Chastain is a new talent to be reckoned with (purposeful neaswap, English teacher!).
Grade: A This film is one you won't forget.
"Jolene" is a great song! We are now inspired to check out this film based on your review! Thanks!, Ga. n Dave from Ca.
ReplyDeleteYes, one of my favorite tunes from Mz. Parton.
ReplyDeleteThis looks interesting.
"Neaswap." Really? Really? I had to check dictionaries, my husband, and finally Google to learn what this is. No one in my English teacher community has ever uttered that one. Amazing acronym. I learn something new every day. :-)
GA, thanks for reading the review...hope you and Dave find the film interesting. As I implied, not for the faint of heart! Some films really dig at ya. A French film along the same lines is Les 400 Coups, an old black and white classic about a boy kicked around at a young age. In the same genre, you'll also find Laura Dern's Wild at Heart. Valerie, neaswap is "never end a sentence with a preposition"! I had an wonderful English teacher in HS who was a demon on grammar...helped me immensely with all my current writing.
ReplyDeleteImagine my amusement when I just saw a trailer for a new film coming out with Dolly Parton - then, two hours later, a character in Glee breaks out singing...Jolene! Wow.
ReplyDeleteThat's a funny coincidence. Sounds like JOLENE might be your next DVD rental! I found the film entrancing. Painful. I hate to see young people abused or misguided. Could that be why I went into teaching? To give them hope in an otherwise troubled world? I await your impressions of the film with my usual a-bated breath! Anyway, I will play the Dolly Parton song again today as I create a bowl in the wood shop!
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