Manna from Heaven

It's not a perfect movie in the conventional sense, but then again so few are. I enjoyed it quite a bit in spite of the implausible plot - after all, what's a feel-good satirical comedy without some hyperbole? The casting and performances were generally delightful. The cinematography was very good in spite of what a few other uninformed reviewers have said. To capture the feel of Buffalo NY - old, out of touch, quietly desperate but always hopeful - the Sisters put together a montage of sights and sounds reminiscent of the social and cultural hodge-podge that is the Buffalo area. It's a state of mind, not a geographical place!

The plot will, in its own way, lead you to the conclusion that the most common people can have redemption with a little effort and divine intervention. This was a great effort from a bunch of girls from Buffalo who have no money to compete against the digitized, schmoltzified crap dealers of Hollywood! A refreshing change of pace -go see it.

Living in the Buffalo area was not what made me go see this film. The plot summary on this website sounded like a cute story and it was.

There were many nice facets about this film, the actors were terrific, and I hope the Burton sisters have a future in the film industry. However, "Manna from Heaven" just didn't work as a feature film.

I could see this story become a successful play in the Buffalo area, like the classic "Over the Tavern". -Sorry, but better luck next time.

We walked out of 'About Schmidt' so depressed and saw a local group promoting 'Manna from Heaven" - what an improvement! Excellent mature actors and actresses in a light, feel-good movie. "Manna", an independent film, may have less polish, but I'm not a movie critic so I don't care. Definitely worth seeing.

I went into this film with three years of sobriety, left and headed straight to the bar. The only laughter in the theater were the burton sisters laughing at their own jokes. How funny! I was crying by the end of it, concocting a tale in my head of why I had to leave...a root canal would've been more pleasant. I don't understand how films like this are made. I've got an mfa in writing and these girls graduated from the buffalo community college of inept film-making. Gag me with some more syrup and I'll stick around for your next picture. Why don't you research some talent for your next pic. Wendie Malick saved the film.

While not a perfect film (how many are?), "Manna From Heaven" was funny, heartwarming, and clever. Cloris Leachman's performance alone was worth the price of admission. This is a truly independent film, but more than that, it's a labor of love by the 5 Sisters production team and it shows on the screen. If you're interested in taking a bite of something more satisfying than the bland, mass-produced cinema sausages Hollywood relentlessly churns out, go see this movie. You'll leave the theatre walking on air. I did!