Cavedweller

I first chose to watch "Cavedweller" when I recognized the names of Kyra Sedgwick and Aiden Quinn, and although the title was intriguing, the full meaning didn't reveal itself until much later. This movie, like real life, is about facing difficult, dark, and echoing choices.

Kyra Sedgwick is very believable in her portrayal of the character, Delia, who returns to her small town birthplace of family, friends, and foes. Her patience, subtle strength and will to overcome great odds and criticism, is shown through her actions and inactions of past and present events. Her values and personality are examined with contrasts, balance, and the responsibility to believe in one's self no matter the resulting rewards or failures. And while Delia's three daughters are unique in their own innocence and individuality, each one is a transformed facet of her total personality.

Aiden Quinn delivers a credible performance as Clint, the "mama's boy" abusive husband. To me, one word describes his role - karma.

As a viewer I became completely immersed and wanted to write myself into the script as a coach and say, "Tell them!"

I can relate to the many of the underlying themes. After several years absence on returning to a small town birthplace, where everybody "thinks" they know everybody else's business, I found renewed hope. We can all choose to either rail against the darkness or light a candle.

Although this film has received a lot of criticism in here, (as I have noticed) in my honest opinion, I liked it! My initial thought when the movie started was: "Oh my god, it's another one of those sappy, bad quality movies, you normally see on the Hallmark channel, (which I was watching at the time) but a few minutes into the beginning I got more interested and ended up watching all of it. Start to finish. I will however give a user right in one thing. The scene with the mother when she is driving back home, is far to long and uneventful, but maybe it was intended, to get people to focus more on the later events in the movie. Things I liked about the movie: It had humor. Great actors like Aidan Quinn, and Kevin Bacon, appeared in it. There were awesome music featured in it, and I especially liked how you had to wait to see the flashbacks, so you could understand the movie. It added excitement! The movie is supposed to be gloomy and unforgiving, which is kind of the theme word for the movie! I would like to name movies who resembled it, but I actually haven't seen a movie which resembled this one. It's also funnier than it would seem for those who haven't seen it!

This is a nice movie in spite of the low rating that viewers have given it. And I'm not surprised that it got such ratings. Most Americans would not like this movie because it doesn't have enough action. This is a movie about real life relationships, past and present; about how different people adapt to changing situations; and about how life's decisions are made. This is a movie about how real people live, what they say, and how they love. I especially liked the ending. I think most of the acting was good too. I thought all three of Delia's daughters did a fine job. I especially liked her youngest daughter, Cissy; wise beyond her years. I can remember her from "The Blue Car". I was so frustrated with Amanda's rote religious jumbo that I wanted her mother to grab her and give her a good shaking. But if you love someone enough, I suppose you often put up with that sort of thing.

Dorothy Allison's excellent novel "Cavedweller" is the source of this film of the same title. Ms. Allison's novels are about real people going through tough times in their lives. This movie was adapted by Anne Meredith from the massive novel and the essence of it comes across under the sure direction of Lisa Cholodenko. Ms. Cholodenko's other films show she has an affinity to present characters that are always at crossroads of their lives.

This film though, owes a great deal to the courageous performance of Kyra Sedgwick, who gets under the skin of Delia to show us what makes this woman ticks. We see Delia at the beginning in a desolated beach in Los Angeles. She is lost in thought, but evidently, at that moment she has made up her mind to make amends to her past. When she gets home she decides to leave everything behind and go to Georgia with Cissy, her youngest daughter.

In flashbacks we get to see Delia's life go through her mind. We learn about the abusive husband, Clint. Also, we witness her betrayal to him and how she leaves her two young daughters for a musician, Randall. Their attraction is all physical; Randall is a man who can't be true to any woman, or remain in a loving relationship.

Delia shows her courage in going back to the small town where everyone knows what she did. Her taciturn father takes her in, reluctantly. She goes to see her two daughters, who by now are teen agers; they reject her, as well as the paternal grandmother. But it's Clint, the dying man she left behind, the one that is able to reunite Delia with her daughters. It takes a lot for anyone to go back to that situation and Delia shows she is a woman that can see now where she went wrong, if only a bit late.

The acting is first rate. Ms. Sedgwick, as Delia, has the best opportunity. Young Regan Arnold gives an amazing performance as Cissy, the younger daughter who is too wise for her young age. Aidan Quinn, as Clint, has good moments, but of course, the men in this movie are secondary characters. Kevin Bacon is seen in flashbacks and has little to do. Jackie Burrows, as the grandmother shows us a woman consumed in her hatred of Delia. Vanessa Zima plays Amanda, the oldest daughter who has turned to religion to compensate by what her young mind can't comprehend.

This is not a film for everybody. Watch it because Kyra Sedgwick deserves to be seen and because it's a story that is original and unique in that is so anti Hollywood, made by a rising voice in film directing: Lisa Cholodenko.

I saw `Cavedweller' at the Tribeca Film Festival. I haven't read the book, but this movie is only a small part of the book.

Kyra Sedgwick once again proves herself to be a very versatile actress, she's amazing in this movie as her character struggles with her emotions. All three daughters do a wonderful job, but Regan Arnold stands out as the fish-out-of-water youngest daughter, moved suddenly from L.A. to small-town Georgia. Aidan Quinn is very strong in a rather ugly role. Kevin Bacon has a bit part but is wonderful, as always. Jill Scott, in what I believe is her acting debut, is wonderful and provides some needed light-hearted moments in the midst of all the heavy drama. Jackie Burroughs is terrific as the tough-as-nails grandmother.

If you want to watch a romantic comedy, then this movie is not the one for you. If you want to watch a solid drama with excellent writing and acting, this movie will leave you more than satisfied.