L'Amérique aux deux visages

Hidden in America works both as a terrific film and as an advocate for child hunger. Beau Bridges leads the way with a very real performance of a single father trying to raise two kids after losing his wife to cancer and losing his job of 16 years at an automobile plant. Bridges character deals with feelings of inadequacy as he struggles to find work and properly raise his family. His pride also tested when he meets a doctor (Bruce Davidson) who wants to help the family and when he has to take donations to battle his daughter's malnutrition. The two kids in the film (Shelton Dane and Jean Malone) are great and Frances McDormand adds a nice touch as the rough but concerned mechanic who befriends the boy Robby. I highly recommend this movie which is now available on video.

This film is first class all the way. Beau Bridges is outstanding as a decent, hard-working man who loses his wife and his job and is just too stubborn and proud to accept help. This is the kind of film that makes you stop and think how lucky you are. Just be warned, it is sometimes so sad and grim that its very difficult to watch.

This movie made me think twice about what I have in life and what homeless and/or jobless people must go through each day. I found it to be first-rate, and everything about it was great, especially Beau Bridges's performance. He gave a great performance about a man who lost both his wife and his job, and the remainder of the movie focused on his struggle to raise his two kids and find another job. I loved it.

*** out of ****

Hidden in America should be required viewing for all political candidates and elected officials. Having spent 50 years in social work, I can attest to the authenticity of the character of Bill Januson. The producers of this film should receive credit for having the guts to make it. Almost the entire cast, especially the Januson family, were perfectly cast.

Thank goodness that satellite tv gave me a chance to see this movie, which otherwise, I presume, would have only been seen by American audiences. It is breathtaking in its reality and haunted me for days afterwards. When it was showing again a week later I could not face watching it again so soon, because it is emotionally draining. But I will most certainly watch it again at some point. Beau Bridges is superb as the father (and a good father at that) trying to cope with his family's descent into poverty and the childrens' performances are unbelievably good. It does not become corny or maudlin, which given the subject matter is an achievement. It is a lesson in life. It teaches us that poverty is not just in the huddled refugees camps or drought plagued deserts we see on our tv screens each night, but is right here in the midst of us, whether in the US or any other country. It is a very upsetting film, but turning in for the night after watching it I realized how lucky I am in life. And I would recommend especially to anyone who is feeling just a bit sorry for themselves