Era uma Vez um Sonho

Well I had a great review written but it was erased when I switched to another site to fact check some other movies. What I wanted to say was this is a hard movie to watch. It's hard bc it's honest. We all have our struggles and this is another depiction of an honest struggle families have. In America we like to place labels. In this case the labels are hillbilly, red neck, or white trash. It's all true, but it doesn't mean that's bad. It means it's honest. It makes me think of other honest movies about American families like Crooklyn, Ordinary People or Kramer vs Kramer. In this year of 2020 the word struggle comes up time and again, but let's not forget another truly American symbolic word .... perseverance. Watch this movie and know that if you're down and feel like the world is against you just keep fighting and persevere. I hope this movie can inspire that feeling. It did for me.

This is not an Everyman movie. It is not meant to be entertaining but it is educational, revealing and truthful about what it's like to deal with poverty, addiction and abusive family dynamics. Not everyone can relate because at times, it is uncomfortable to watch. Putting judgment and raw emotions aside, in the end, it is about hope, tough love, determination, resourcefulness and survival.

So glad I ignored the reviews saying it was a "bad" movie because the movie itself is not bad. It's very well-done. I think it's just the cringe-worthy character defects that cause many reviewers pan it because maybe they were not expecting such a giant dose of reality showing up - a reality they want no part of and don't want to understand because it scares them.

It shows the ugly side of the human condition and it highlights moments when we have an opportunity to make decisions that can be life-altering. It's a story about connections, and about learning when and how to either strengthen them or release them in order to keep moving forward in life.

NOTE: This should be required viewing in all addiction recovery programs.

Don't know why there are such low scores and reviews, it was a very engaging movie, and the acting all round was top notch.

While I hoped this movie would be more well made then it was, it was still great to watch. It was nice to see a movie that felt very familiar, especially coming out on a big streaming platform like Netflix. They did a good job with this one. Glenn Close was amazing every second she was on camera, and definitely carried the film. The music was nice too, and the film feels very authentic. It might not be perfect, but Hillbilly Elegy should definitely pique anyone's curiosity and be able to hold on to them for the entirety of the film. Go watch it and decide.

I thought this film was a great drama that uses flashbacks of the past to explain what's running through J.D.'s mind as he tries to navigate university and his moms constant drug addiction. The acting was powerful all the way through. It has gripping emotions from start to finish that shows how bad you have to work, and to want something, to succeed when all the cards are stacked against you. Some may find this to be a "woe is me" kind of story, but I think it showed the never quitting spirit that Southerners have. Honestly, it's better than the professional critic reviews that I've read.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film and the story behind it. That to say, I can't figure out why this film is getting low ratings, but I think it's worth the watch. Currently it's in select theatres until 24 November when it releases onto Netflix in Canada.