A HOME OF OUR OWN
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
A HOME OF OUR OWN
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 5.3
Date Released: 11/5/93
Running Length: 1:44
Rated: PG-13 (Mature themes, language)
Starring: Kathy Bates, Edward Furlong, Soon-Teck Oh
Director: Tony Bill
Producers: Dale Pollock and Bill Bordon
Screenplay: Patrick Duncan
Music: Michael Convertino
Released by Gramercy Pictures
It's 1962 in Los Angeles, and Frances Lacey (Kathy Bates) has spent the last few years just trying to make ends meet. Ever since the death of her husband, life has been nothing but drudgery as she works all hours to feed her children, a group that she has fondly dubbed the "Lacey tribe." Other than son Shane (Edward Furlong) and daughter Lynn (Clarissa Lassig), the kids are to young to be of much substantial help. Finally, after getting fired from her job at a potato chip packing plant, Frances decides to move her family east, looking for a home that they can call their own. They find it - a rundown old shack with no roof, electricity, or plumbing - in Idaho, on a plot of land owned by Mr. Moon (Soon-Teck Oh). Once Frances convinces him to sell, the difficulty comes in meeting his price, since the Lacey tribe is flat broke. But that's never stopped them before.
A HOME OF OUR OWN is supposed to be a deeply-moving emotional experience, showing how a fatherless family can face down any odds if they stick together. You know the kind of movie that I mean - one that has women reaching for tissues and men clearing their throats. Supposedly based on a true story, it contains all the elements of bad melodrama, and the overall effect is overly-sentimental, bordering on cloying. There's even an ending that rivals that of SCENT OF A WOMAN for silliness.
It seems unlikely that a factual story would follow so many well- established Hollywood formulas, but that's what happens in A HOME OF OUR OWN. There aren't too many that this movie misses, the most obvious and disappointing of which is the mother/son conflict that has become obligatory in any picture that touches, however briefly, on a coming-of- age. At best, the resolution of this subplot is weak.
In a way, it's too bad that the movie always takes the easy way out because, taken individually, many of the scenes are effective. One that stands out is a gem between Frances and daughter Lynn on Christmas morning. With no money to spend on her mother for a present, Lynn has knitted Frances slippers, and here she presents them. This is poignant and effective without resorting to the manipulation that is present throughout too much of the film.
Another thing I found annoying about A HOME OF OUR OWN is the voice-over - a depressingly overused tool in these sorts of retrospective films. Sometimes it works, but more often than not, as here, it gives the film makers an easy way out. They no longer have to show emotions and events, they can simply relate them through the narration. This technique leads to gaps in the story, and an general feeling on the part of the viewer that he's missing something important.
The acting is a mixed bag. Kathy Bates is superlative as Frances, and has found a female character with real depth and strength. These are rare enough in movies these days that when one shows up, no matter how dubious the film's quality is, an actress will jump at it. Clarissa Lassig opened my eyes as young Lynn, managing a quality of fresh innocence that is enjoyable to watch. Edward Furlong has improved since AMERICAN HEART, but his range is still limited. Slowly-but-surely, his experience with different directors is building him to a level of competence.
Perhaps the most obvious problem with A HOME OF OUR OWN is that there's nothing new in it. Pieces of this film can be found in recent offerings from THIS BOY'S LIFE to A BRONX TALE. Maybe the release timing is poor, but it seems like I've just gone through everything this movie has to offer in superior productions. A HOME OF OUR OWN isn't a bad movie, but there's certainly no spark to make it stand out.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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