**An unfairly forgotten film, quite emotional, that women will find very good and men may or may not like, depending on their tolerance for films with a greater sentimental charge.**
Director Jon Avnet brings us a good film that reminds us of the value of good friendships and self-love. Intelligently directing his crew and cast, he managed to make a discreet, unpretentious but very enjoyable film that easily wins over the audience. Still, it's bland and tepid, and perhaps that's precisely why it ended up as forgotten as it is.
One of the strongest points is clearly the cast, headed by two solid and talented actresses: Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy. None of them are big names within the film industry, nor do they draw crowds to a “multiplex” simply by appearing on a poster. However, they are very experienced, knowledgeable about this art of acting and capable of credibly interpreting their characters. For me, it's Tandy's best film, even deserved her an Oscar nomination. In addition to the skill of the two protagonists, it is fair to mention the contributions of Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker. Unfortunately, the male cast is very subdued which, combined with the melodramatic tone, makes the film more interesting for a female audience.
Set in Alabama, the story deals with the friendship between two women: they both feel alone, one of whom lives in a nursing home and doesn't talk to many people and the other is trapped in a dead marriage and has lost her self-esteem. The film discusses friendship, racism, violence, the connection to our roots, and there are many friendly and likeable characters. In fact, the emotional charge sometimes seems excessive. I don't see this as a problem, but a feature that will please some more than others. For me, it didn't take away any interest I might have had, but I'll understand if men say they feel a little queasy with so much mushiness. What bothered me most about the film was the length and the way it took a while to get interesting: on the one hand, I found it difficult to get interested in the first half hour and, on the other hand, I felt that it was a little stretched out in running time.
With such strong bets on the script and cast, the film did not need to invest too heavily in effects or technical aspects. All he had to do was be careful not to make mistakes and to do things well, and that's precisely what was done: from the cinematography to the costumes, through the visual and sound effects, the soundtrack or the choice of filming locations and scenarios, the film stands out for its effectiveness and elegance, but without being too daring, remaining in familiar and comfortable terrain where it manages to do well what needs to be done.
"Evelyn" (Kathy Bates) and her husband "Ed" (Gailard Sartain) are going through the motions in their marriage. They've long stopped making any effort for each other and she is a bit fed up. It's when she is visiting a friend at an old folk's home that she encounters the frail but spritely "Ninny" (Jessica Tandy) and they get chatting. The older lady starts to regale her with stories of her younger wife in rural Alabama and of her sister-in-law "Idgie" (Mary Stuart Masterson). Over the next couple of weeks and months "Evelyn" becomes addicted to hearing the stories, as do we, of racial and sexual inequality, iniquity and joy as this small subsistence community slowly and sometimes brutally evolves. The effects of this retrospective are quite profound on the younger lady who starts to feel empowered by what she's hearing. Her confidence grows - even if her insurance premiums start to go up - and she begins to take steps to improve her domestic situation. The photography and the engagingly crafted script illustrate quite powerfully and affectionately the struggles of just about everyone in a 1920s where racism and bigotry were never far away; the KKK travelled thrived unfettered and any sort of inter-racial relationship was downright dangerous. There are also strong contributions from Mary-Louise Parker as the upstanding, preacher's daughter, "Ruth" and from Stan Shaw as "Big George" as the thrust of inspiration in the face of adversity is transferred onto life in the 1990s. Tandy and Bates prove the perfect pairing as they mix the good and the bad, the happy and the sad and a fair degree of good old fashioned common sense and stoicism to create rounded and plausible characters, a degree of nostalgia and loads of mischief. It is slightly rose-tinted, but it's still well worth a look see an ensemble cast at it's best.
