A Socially Conscious Drama That Fails To Make An Impact
Grace returns to her small town in the early 1960s after her father dies and finds that racism and gender inequality are still rampant. She begins to fight for change, but is met with resistance from the people she’s used to. Grace must find new friends and allies in order to make a difference in her community, and she soon realizes that she may have more in common with them than she thought.
The movie is based on the true story of a white man, Clayborne Carson, who was falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit and spent over 20 years in prison. Despite the inaccuracies in the movie, it does provide an interesting look at race and justice in America. If you’re looking for a movie that will make you think about important social issues, this is not the one for you.
Anna Friel gives a strong performance as Grace, a woman who, up until the movie’s opening, lived a very privileged existence. But after the death of her father and a divorce from her husband, she is left penniless. Her life is made worse when she learns her home may have to be foreclosed but being the resilient woman that she is, Grace takes steps to improve her situation. Grace begins by finding work as a maid in another person’s home. She quickly rises through the ranks and becomes the household’s primary caretaker. This new job allows Grace to save money and build up her credit score so that she can eventually purchase her own home. Anna Friel gives an excellent performance as Grace, a woman who until the movie’s opening led an affluent life after losing both of her parents at an early age. However, when she learns that her family’s home may be seized for non-payment of mortgage debt, Grace does everything in her power to make things right again - even if it means taking on additional work as a maid in order to make ends meet. ..
Grace’s life is difficult because she is a woman in the 60s south. She is not able to get a clerical job because her body is more important than her skills. When she dates men in the hope of finding romance, any chances of finding love are scuppered because of the way she is treated by the guys she has dinner with.
Grace begins to understand the reality of life for herself and women like her, and decides to fight for women’s rights. But while finding equality becomes her mission, she soon discovers how difficult this can be when faced with the prejudices of men in high positions. Her chances of getting what she wants are improved, however, when she befriends a local congressman (Kelsey Grammar). This political figure is already trying to negotiate the 1964 Civil Rights Act. ..
The movie is set in the early 1900s and tells the story of a woman, played by Susan DeRose, who works as a waitress in a small town. She falls in love with a man who is also working at the local restaurant and they start a relationship. However, things get complicated when the townspeople start to notice them together and they are forced to hide their relationship. The film does well in depicting the period’s social mores and customs.
The movie only scratches the surface of the struggles faced by minority groups in the south south. This could be because the director wanted to avoid the harshness of reality to bring in family audiences. But without a closer examination of the issues that drove Grace to fight for change, it’s hard to become emotionally invested in her battle. ..
The movie would have been more impactful if it didn’t try to be too much of a history lesson. The script and characters were weak, and we never really got to understand the racial tensions that were percolating within that time. And beyond the occasional brief moment of prejudice, we never quite got to experience the hardships that were common to many either.
This period drama is ideal for Sunday afternoon viewing after you have eaten your roast dinner. It has lush visuals and an optimistic feel, but if you want something that more realistically explores the plight of Black people and women in southern America during the 1960s, you might want to look elsewhere for your history lesson.
