Charmant, ledig, sucht ...

This is missing an open goal. Movies on racism in the south aren't a hard begining. But this movie takes that basic premise and slowly goes backwards with a slow boring story. Thankfully the civil rights movement didn't follow the same trajectory . A terrible waste of time and talent.

This movie is set in an unspecified state in the deep south (filmed in Athens, Georgia) in 1963 and 1964. It includes the Civil Rights movement and President Johnson's Equal Rights push. What was being ignored, at least at first, was the issue of women's rights. The attitude was mostly, things are working well, let's not change things.

While this particular movie is fiction it certainly was inspired by real people and real events. I was graduating from high school and starting college in Louisiana then, my wife was about to finish middle school in New Orleans, we remember the times well.

This is a good movie of a significant subject, entertaining but also with a meaningful theme. My wife and I watched it streaming on Amazom Prime. The two key characters are British actress Anna Friel, doing an authentic accent as Southerner Grace Gordon, motivated to find something better after her father died and she found it hard to do business as a woman. And Kelsey Grammer as the US Congressman who was sweet on Grace and was to have a voice in including rights of women in the law.

It's 1963. Grace Gordon (Anna Friel) has come home to the deep south after the death of her powerful judge father. She finds that the family fortune had all been spent on her. With no money left, her only option is to remarry to someone rich. Her sights eventually settles on the Congressman (Kelsey Grammer). Meanwhile, the hated civil rights movement has come to the southern community.

The movie starts with the hammer blow "useless female" declaration. The next move should be showing Grace as a smart modern woman. Instead, the movie only re-enforces the useless female idea by having her ignore her bills and being completely clueless about her finances. She is utterly flighty and every bit the useless female. It is probably the exact opposite of what this movie needs. It's a bad start.

Over time, the movie does put in little bits of the civil rights movement. The general concept changes from a rom-com movie to a social justice movie. It functions better as such especially since the romance between Grace and the Congressman is never going to take off. That's another issue. The Congressman has no name. It seems like a fictional movie which is too scared to put in a real name. I don't know why they couldn't put in a fictional name.

...between Kelsey Grammer and Anna Friel. But the acting overall is strong. Some of the supporting cast are particularly interesting and would have liked to have more on screen time. These characters would probably work well in a series or sequel.

Always nice to see Sean Astin pop up in a movie. He and his counterpart in the pawn shop would make a hilarious duo in a longer series. Also the chemistry between the driver and the maid is great. Sassy and sweet.

Fantastic acting, well produced film, excellent perspective. Appreciate you telling history from this vantage point. Must see!