A Map Of The World

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Singleton</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="588" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="588"><div> <B>A view of the world from a small Wisconsin town</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> <B>30 Second Bottom Line</B>: A school nurse in a small Wisconsin town falls from grace, first because she is an honestly outspoken person, and then she is held morally accountable for a child in her care who is seriously injured in a back yard swimming accident. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Story Line:</B> We have all cared for the child of a friend, especially if that child is the same age as our own. They are watched as carefully as our own flesh and blood, as we would not want anything terrible to happen to our children left with a friend or spouse. It ranks high on the scale of the "worse nightmares" list.</div> <bR> <div> Alice Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver) is an efficient school nurse at the local grammar school, who makes childish faces at the kids who get on her nerves. We drop in on her family just as school letting out for the summer.  Her husband, Howard (David Strathairn), is dedicated to his small farm, Alice and their two young daughters. One of the daughters is a handful, who after a "go sit in the corner" time out acts up again, almost immediately. Alice needs a housekeeper, but can't afford one, and we know that she is on the edge with trying to keep so many things going in her life. She's a real life mom.</div> <bR> <div> The first night that school is out the Goodwins and their best friends, Theresa and Dan Collins (Julianne Moore and Ron Lea), get together to celebrate with Alice and Howard. Alice gets a little drunk as she is ready for summer vacation even more so than the kids. Alice and Theresa take care of each other's children when needed. The next day when Theresa needs to run some errands, she leaves her older daughter with Alice, after telling her it's OK to go swimming at Alice's because she <B>is</B> an excellent swimmer. </div> <bR> <div> The child is seriously injured that day and we don't know if she will live or die. Although she is breathing, things look grim because of possible severe brain damage. </div> <bR> <div> Knowing how disorganized Alice is at home and how outspoken she is at school, earlier when we see the strained relationship she has with a waitress mom Carole (Chloe Sevigny), who is also on welfare, we know that there will be trouble between the two of them. Word gets around town about the swimming accident and Carole decides to seek revenge against Alice because Alice spoke harshly to her for sending her kid to school sick on multiple occasions. We learn later that Alice even slapped the child because of his rude and abusive behavior. When Alice is charged with inappropriate behavior, it's for sexual rather than physical abuse. Alice is arrested and goes to jail because bond is too high for her and Howard to post.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tell Me More About It: </B>The time spent in the county jail holding area is insightful. Alice shares a small cell with a woman who murdered her two newborn babies, because she did not want her family to know the babies were biracial. Alice is speechless when the woman uses the "N" word regarding other prisoners. The irony is that the father of the murdered babies was African-American. For more insight on life inside jail as depicted here, see <I><B>Stranger Inside.</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> The resulting courtroom scenes are not your typical Johnny Cochran slick format. Instead, a lawyer with a $10 necktie represents one poor person battling another poor neighbor, for justice. Alice is a difficult client for her attorney to defend. Although a truthful person, she does not always tell the attorney what he needs to know. </div> <bR> <div> As in real life, there is resolution, even though it may not be how you would write the story if you were in control of the events. There is real truth to the notion of a lawyer not wanting to ask a question unless the answer is known in advance.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Sigourney Weaver performs a "step out" serious role here, as she is without make up, looking like the very opposite of the beauty queen she played in <I><B>Galaxy Quest </B></I>or even her hard as nails turn in the <I>Alien</I> films. To give the earthy relationship of her character real insight, there are multiple scenes of full close up frontal breast nudity, to reveal her true self in her most private moments. </div> <bR> <div> A few little things detract us from being able to accept all the events as real. The film has a documentary slant to it, but we know that you don't get a suit tailored in just a few hours in a small Wisconsin town…maybe at a Men's Warehouse in a large city. The ending works out a little too neatly considering the "walk on coals" experiences of Alice and Howard. They may get there but probably not so quickly. </div> <div>  </div> <div>  For you New Age music fans, you'll love the soundtrack as it was written and played by <I><B>Pat Metheny.</B></I></div> <div>   </div> <div> My observations fall in the Monday morning quarterback category. Overall, the story is strong and interesting, as it's something that we all can relate to. We take responsibility when we care for others. Like driving on a two-lane road, we assume that no one will cross the line and cause a fatal head on crash. But if it happens, regardless of who crossed the line, it's still the fault of everyone in the accident. While we are not responsible for everything that happens, we are <B>accountable</B> for all that occurs.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="592" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> R (Nudity, language, violence)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> George O. Singleton © 1999</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="588"><div> george@reelmoviecritic.com</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Mini Filmography</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="593" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Sigourney Weaver: <I>The Ice Storm</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="293"><div> David Strathairn: <I><B>Limbo</B></I>     </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> Julianne Moore: <I><B>Hannibal </B></I>and  <I><B>Magnolia</B></I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Chloe Sevigny: <A HREF="id1933.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boys Dont Cry"><U><I><B>Boy's Don't Cry</B></I></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="293"><div> Scott Elliott: Debut</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="293"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="293" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>