Un beau matin

I just saw the the movie yesterday at the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City obviously during Sundance. The place was packed. The movie was 97 minutes which I thought was long. The movie kept my attention somewhat (wasn't dozing off) but it was just missing something. No high or low points in the movie. After listening to the Director and finding out that it it has taken 5 years to produce this movie I was shocked. Ashley Judd did an OK job of acting but this movie was about a lady drinker who loved to have sex with no relationship. Thats it. Nothing more. The country music in the movie was good. I would consider buying the soundtrack if there was one. Don't count on it, according to the director.

Talented Joey Lauren Adams wrote and directed this marvelous slice-of-life about a hard, stubborn, unapologetic young woman's journey to finding some self-worth in her quietly turbulent existence; she attempts to get her head in a good place and make peace with the past, but learns it doesn't all come into play overnight. Ashley Judd is just wonderful in the lead: gritty, tremulous, tough, never dumbed-down, she evokes just the right touch of devil-may-care recklessness with a kind of horse-sense which should resonate with a lot of viewers. If you ever come across this theatrical film playing on the Lifetime network, don't be fooled into thinking it's a cable-quickie. Adams puts a lot of thought into her prose (sometimes too much, as the conversations have a tendency to have an already worked-out give and take). The film is flawed, certainly, yet its scattershot hopefulness permeates through, and the performances are rich and memorable. A rewarding character-study, and a small triumph for both creator Adams and star Judd, marking a welcome return to serious acting. *** from ****

Saw this at the Chicago Film Festival and it was a great experience. The movie is a glimpse into the life and relationships of Lucy (Ashley Judd). I went in thinking it was going to be very intense and sad (especially after seeing some of the movie stills) and was very pleasantly surprised at the descriptive intense way the complex Lucy was portrayed and the light feel of the movie despite some very unhappy circumstances. I left the movie feeling like I got to know a good person and had some hope - but didn't see Hollywood clichés or forced happily ever afters.

The writer/director Joey Lauren Adams didn't take any shortcuts and quite happily didn't try to make a movie that appealed to everyone. This is a "real" southern town with "real" people. In the after movie question and answer session with Ms. Adams, she said it would be an interesting exercise to re-shoot the entire movie, keeping the dialog, with a man in the lead role. I keep going back to that…. I'd love to hear/see/read the different reactions of critics and audiences to the male and female versions of "Lucy".

COME EARLY MORNING marks the writing and directing debut of Joey Lauren Adams who elects to share a bit of her birthplace atmosphere in Arkansas and while the story is sound and the writing evocative of the personal turmoil of little towns populated by good but bored people, there is nothing new here. But just the opportunity to see gifted actress Ashley Judd strut her stuff is reason enough to watch this little film and makes us wonder where has she been since her 2004 stint in 'De-Lovely'. She is just too fine an actress not to be given more beefy roles.

Lucy Fowler (Judd) lives in a little Arkansas town, a successful contractor with boss Owen Allen (Stacy Keach, another underused fine actor), but a woman without a firm attachment to her fragmented family: her shy and sequestered father (Scott Wilson) has returned to town where he hides in alcohol and steps out only for Holy Roller church services; her grandmothers Doll (Candyce Hinkle) is unstable and keeps to herself and Nana (Diane Ladd) remains in a mutually abusive marriage; and her uncle Tim (Tim Blake Nelson) who is the only stalwart member of the clan. Lucy lives with her friend Kim (Laura Prepon) who understands Lucy's shortcomings: unable to form relationships, Lucy spends her weekends getting drunk at the local tavern and sleeping with anonymous men whom she deserts a dawn.

But things change when Lucy encounters Cal Percell (Jeffrey Donovan) who provides her with the first semblance of normalcy in her relationships with men, a frightening new step she abuses by entering into her drinking mode again. Lucy begins to make changes in her view of her family, her fear of being the mirror image of her father, in her work, and in the way she views men. And the film just trails off leaving us wondering what life will now be like.

Adams has a fine handle on her subject and creates dialog that feels like it should: her election to make such a fine three-dimensional character out of Lucy's father who barely has a line to say is much to her credit (and the strong performance by Scott Wilson!). But in the end it is the pleasure of seeing Ashley Judd in a meaty role that makes the difference. Grady Harp

The DVD box promises us "the best performance of her career," and I'd agree with that 100%. Too bad this fine movie was saddled with a deadly non-commercial title, too bad the DVD is supposedly a "Blockbuster exclusive" which limits its availability. Too bad the summary on the box is dishonest; most likely just because some good movies are hard to describe.

JUDD plays a 30-something woman who often wakes up in a stranger's bed after several-too-many beers in a country music honky tonk. The story is about how she finds her way --- after a few stumbling blocks --- after her sister tells her that getting to know a guy such as his middle name and where he's from isn't so bad.

The marvel of the movie is a screenplay that follows her everyday life in a Southern town without ever resorting to anything but on-the-level events and interactions. Never boring, always involving, this is JUDD'S movie. She's on camera 99% of the running time. This is a brilliant portrait of a woman.

Lots of country music in the background. Good stuff, with lots of heart and sorrow; not the Kenney Chesney-like trash we hear on the radio these days with no tune and nothing lyrics; just loud. Old stuff, new stuff; but good stuff. Amen!