Georgia Rule

Once again Hollywood marketing has classified a heartfelt drama as a rip roaring comedy. Georgia Rule is no laughing matter, but it is a powerful, worthwhile movie with an outstanding cast. Forget all the critic's reviews -- they don't "get it".

The opening is a little slow but it accurately portrays the strained relationships and secrets in this family. Fonda and Huffman are brilliant and so is Lohan. Given the press surrounding Lohan during the filming, my expectations were pretty low and I was very surprised at how good she was and how good the movie was.

It's a great movie to open dialog with your Mom or your resident teenager. Take the R rating seriously - it's a mature chick flick - one of the best.

Garry Marshall did a good job at handling a heavy subject. There are a couple of laughs along the way for comedy relief, but this is a movie that will stay with you. Go see it.

Lindsay Lohan presented a different character approach where she played an amatory teen raised in California and sent to live with her pious grandmother for the sake of her redemption. This movie not only enhances the struggles between drinking and growing up too fast, but it shows the love in a family. This movie would play mind games with you which would inspire you to love each character. Felicity Huffman, played Lindsay Lohan's distressed mother and slowly throughout the movie it is seen how closely alike they are. Georgia Rule was a new take on movies and if you are in for a new turn of adventure and occasional comedy kicks, Georgia Rule is it.

As a victim of abuse my self, I can well understand the denial of the mother, especially if she was already a boozer. The grandmother, so well played by Jane Fonda, obviously felt the guilt from turning her own child into an alcoholic, who then allowed this abuse to go on under her roof. She became the typical non-defending parent.

The scene with Delmot Maroney (simon) in which he talks to her about the different kinds of love between an older man and a young woman (friend, parent) that differs from the abusive kind, rings quite true. Because, for people like us, it's hard to tell the difference as you emerge from your parental Hell.

You only know how to relate in a sexual manner with any man. It takes a lot of education and experience to learn to appreciate and enjoy the other kinds of love and affection. Until then, it all seems fake. Don't know what the reviewers had to say about this, but I appreciate Jane and Gary for actually tackling such a loaded subject.

I won't lie--this was not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was pretty darn good. I didn't really expect much from Lohan but she actually blew me away. My one gripe about Lohan was her age portrayal. It was hard to believe she was seventeen with a smoker's rasp and second-skin jeans. Fonda on the other hand... not her best work, she was completely generic. Huffman's performance was humorous, although a little dark. Her alcoholism is pretty believable except the antibuse thing. The movie was amusing and the unexpected plot twist kept me stringing along for the duration of the movie trying to figure it all out, but not in a frustrating way. Overall I think this movie was far better than expected and totally enjoyable.

The rebel, reckless and spoiled teenager Rachel Wilcox (Lindsay Lohan) travels from San Francisco to the conservative Mormon Hull, Idaho, with her alcoholic mother Lily (Felicity Huffman) to spend the summer with her grandmother Georgia (Jane Fonda). Rachel and Lily have a troubled relationship and Georgia follows severe rules at her home. While with Georgia, Rachel reveals a traumatic secret from her past that explains her rebelliousness and brings her mother back to Idaho to check whether her daughter is telling the truth.

The screenplay of "Georgia Rule" is unusual, beginning with comedy but developing in a touching drama related to child abuse and relationship among three generations of the same family. The lead female characters are dysfunctional: Rachel lies, uses drugs and booze and behaves like a slut, with no sense of morality; her mother Lily is an alcoholic woman; and her grandmother Georgia does not express her love with her tough rules. The story is engaging, funny in many moments and heartbreaking in others, and shows the importance of the truth, no matter how painful it is, and family bonds to help to supersede problems and difficulties. The gorgeous Lindsay Lohan and Felicity Huffman are amazing, but Jane Fonda performs a strange but fair character. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Ela é A Poderosa" ("She is The Powerful")