RICH IN LOVE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Date Released: 3/5/93 (Limited Release); 3/19/93 (General Release) Running Length: 1:45 Rated: PG-13 (Mature themes)
Starring: Kathryn Erbe, Albert Finney, Kyle MacLachlan, Piper Laurie, Suzy Amis, Alfre Woodard, Jill Clayburgh, Ethan Hawke Director: Bruce Beresford Producers: Richard D. Zanuck and Lili Fini Zanuck Screenplay: Alfred Uhry based on the novel by Josephine Humphreys Music: Georges Delerue Released by MGM
One day Lucille Odom (Katherine Erbe) comes home from school to find that her mother (Jill Clayburgh) has left home for good. According to the short farewell note, it's not a sudden decision, but something that's been building for a long time. Predictably, Lucille's father Warren (Albert Finney) is devastated by what has happened. When he seems unable to put his life back together, Lucille calls on her big sister Rae (Suzy Amis) for help. Rae arrives with Billy, her husband (Kyle MacLachlan), in tow and a surprise: she's pregnant.
RICH IN LOVE is rich in character but lean in plot. The movie undoubtedly has one of the most believable, three-dimensional group of characters to come along in a while. We can understand and empathize with each of them - their flaws, their fears, their dreams, and their hopes. They are human with the strengths and foibles common to real people.
For the most part, the story is told through the eyes of Lucille, the youngest of two daughters. As she watches her family fall apart, she tries to be brave, but the front that she puts on is just that - a sham that, in the words of Billy, hides a lot of love. Kathryn Erbe, the young actress who plays Lucille, gives a genuine, heartfelt performance.
Albert Finney, who seems at home in almost any role, conquers this one with aplomb. He masters Warren with as much ease as he does the Southern accent. As written, Finney's character might not be the most interesting of men, but the actor infuses him with life and keeps him from becoming the maudlin cliche that so many abandoned spouses turn into.
Perhaps the most interesting relationship in the movie is that of Rae and Billy. The dynamics of their interaction is representative of what is happening in so many young families today. There are secrets that lie just beneath the surface and the emotions that these two go through run the gamut from quiet affection to open hostility.
RICH IN LOVE is mostly a film about emotions and relationships. The plot itself is simple and unremarkable. Not a lot happens in the movie - it relies upon the audience being enraptured by the characters. There are several story lines with dramatic potential that are introduced only to be ignored. One of these (relating to Lucille's birth) had me thinking and wondering long after the people on screen had put it aside.
RICH IN LOVE is a slice-of-life movie in the truest sense of the word. As such, although it has a clearly-defined beginning, the end is less obvious. Just because the movie concludes doesn't mean that the various stories are resolved. The picture attempts to find a sense of closure but the final scene rings false. The creative team might have been better served to go with a more ambiguous ending instead of one without the same spirit and deep sense of character as the rest of the film.
This is one of those movies that action and adventure fans will probably cringe away from. It's an open, honest story about a small South Carolina family and the trials and tribulations they face over a six-month period. RICH IN LOVE has a lot going for it, including a certain warmth and character insight that many movies lack. The story may be out-of-focus, but that's generally the way life is.
Rating: 8.5 (A-, ***)
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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