Details:

Glenn Close

Julianne Moore

Liv Tyler

Charles S. Dutton

Patricia Neal

Chris O'Donnell

Ned Beatty

Lyle Lovett

Donald Moffat

Director: Robert Altman

Date Viewed: 4/25/99

Score: +

The Review: Starts out a little like Gone With the Wind on Prozac (to paraphrase Cusack's character in Midnight in the Garden... ), but perks up nicely once the characters are drawn. A quirky dramatic comedy with the appeal of Fargo , only much warmer and with much less crime.

We cover a couple of days in the lives (and death) of an archetypal, and deliciously, wacky Southern Mississippi family: Patricia Neal as the great-aunt "Cookie"; Glenn Close and Julianne Moore as sibling nieces; and Liv Tyler as Moore's wayward daughter. Neal is classic coot and kook; widowed, insomniac, feisty, pipe-smoking, partially disconnected; would that we see her acting more often. Close is great as a conceited, mean, self-centered, sneaky, conniving bitch; the kind of character you love to hate. She even elevates herself on the church announcement roster to co-author of Oscar Wilde's Salome , her bizarre choice for a community Easter play. Moore plays an initially understated and frumpy role as younger sister in the shadow -- almost totally disconnected -- but she flowers in the play within a play as Salome, and thereafter. Tyler is the black sheep cum prodigal daughter, returning to town after a brief (unexplained but probably illegal) absence. She's clearly seen the other side of the law on several minor occasions, and is generally on the outs with both mother and aunt, albeit not with Cookie. However, the generations and family relationships are not quite as they first seem.

The non-distaff cast is equally good. Charles Dutton is superb as Cookie's handyman, gun-cleaner, friend and sometime cook, living in a room in the back of her house; he is the movie's center in several senses. Chris O'Donnell is Tyler's ex-(?)-love interest, rookie on the police force, an eager klutz. Ned Beatty is the town sheriff, laconic and wholly focused on fishing: an extremely reluctant arresting officer. Almost a cameo role, Lyle Lovett is Tyler's employer and erstwhile suitor.

The several threads of the screenplay are well-knit, the dialog amusing and paced to the environment (though some would say "slow," I am not among them). An excellent ensemble performance; be patient and you shall be rewarded. Watch for the cookie jar.

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