American Woman

"American Woman" follows Debra, a thirty-something single mother in small-town Pennsylvania, whose young adult daughter, Bridget, disappears mysteriously. Debra is left to raise Bridget's infant son, Jesse. A volatile and reckless personality as it is, Debra does not take Bridget's disappearance easily, and finds comfort in her older sister, Katherine, who lives across the street from her. The film charts the family's lives together over the next eleven years.

One of the better dramas I've seen in recent years, "American Woman" is a well-written and evenly paced character study that follows a woman in the precarious situation of having her child go missing. Surprisingly, though, that is only halfway what this film is really about. The bulk of the script's weight lay in the fallout of the disappearance, and the ways Debra navigates life and raises her grandson.

In the wrong hands, this kind of story could easily go sideways, but the writing here is strong, and the performances are stellar. Sienna Miller brilliantly portrays the small-town wild-child mother who begins the film as a drunken, chain-smoking grocery store worker, and finds her in a much different state by the conclusion. The character arc is fraught with emotion, and Miller handles it beautifully. Playing counterpoint (also brilliantly) is Christina Hendricks, who has a softer presence as Debra's regimented, responsible sister. Pat Healy and Aaron Paul portray two of Debra's troubled lovers, while Sky Ferreira appears as Bridget, who is only in several scenes in the beginning, but whose presence haunts the film like a ghost. What is truly great about the film is that it captures human relationships in a manner that feels authentic; everything from the dynamics between the family members, to Debra's small-town ennui, to her various relationships with men feel true. If you aren't one of these people, you know one of them, and the slice-of-life nature of the film never manages to devolve into caricature or cliche.

Another surprise here is that the film is genuinely moving. The last thirty minutes contain several moments that are fraught with emotion, including one that had me fighting tears. I am not someone who tends to cry during films (in fact, it's only happened with one other), but the emotional thrust of the film snuck up on me without my really seeing it coming. Several reviews have complained that the film sidelines the missing person/crime plot in favor of exploring other components of Miller's character, but I think those people are missing the point here; this is not a "missing person" film, but rather a drama about people who experience having a missing family member. We tend to forget that the lives of families of missing persons go on, albeit under the pressure of the past resurfacing at any moment. When it does, it brings the audience to their knees as much as it does Miller's character. I think it precisely because the film follows this chronological, true-to-life trajectory that it manages to strike an emotional nerve.

As well-done as the film is, I unfortunately don't believe it will get the audience it deserves. It appears to have received essentially zero marketing, and has been quietly dumped in theaters at the beginning of the summer blockbuster season. The title is also a bit misfitting for the film, which doesn't help either. It's truly a shame, as "American Woman" is a moving, brilliantly-acted drama that finds human truth more often than many of its counterparts. 8/10.

"American Woman" is one film that is well done it's a moving touching type picture of life and how with love and family one can get thru struggle and pain. It proves that life is up and down with emotions that come from tragedy and loss as thru change closure is finally found. The movie showcases all of these themes so well! Set in rural and blue collar Pennsylvania Debra(in a raw and gritty performance from Sienna Miller) is a single and bed hopping mother who has her world shattered one day after her daughter goes missing as now she has to raise her grandson alone. The movie spans thru her life for 11 years as it's really a roller coaster of highs and lows the pain and drama becomes daily trials of life for Deb. It all ranges from anger and hope the movie makes you really feel like you are going thru life too just like that of Deb's character as we all remember the hardships of life and it's pain. Overall good emotional drama of life and how change happens and spans thru the years before closure.

Not many movies get me to cry but this one, surprisingly, moved me and resonated within me. I think many women will connect with the characters that are superbly acted. No matter what your hardships and tragedies are in this life, we are all "American women" trying to do our best and love others to the best of our ability. It will hopefully connect to your soul in the way it did mine. Humbly we all must remember, we never know what is going on in the lives of others and building other women up is a message that this movie truly represents and reawakened for me and hopefully it will for others too. It is a far cry from a lifetime-type-movie. Not that those are bad but by some of the reviews and descriptions I want to make certain it is not misconstrued. The acting is stellar the metaphors and irony are woven together deeply and beautifully.

It's too seldom that we get to see small, character driven films on the big screen, and I'm sad that this film is showing on so few screens in my area. All of the performances were excellent and it was nice to see so many underused actresses in this film. Seinna Miller was wonderful, as were Amy Madigan and Christina Hendricks. I loved the story and being given the time to watch the main character change and grow. Please see this excellent film.

Gripping performance by Sienna Miller as a smalltown young mother / grandmother, coping with the mysterious disappearance of her teenage daughter and left to raise her grandson on her own. The film spans over many years and exhibits interesting character growth as life goes on. Christina Hendricks also delivers an excellent performance as her next-door sister, as well as the rest of the family. It's been awhile since I've seen a good drama and American Woman has delivered the goods. Best film I've seen in the Toronto Film Festival so far.