A Thousand Acres (1997): Dir: Jacelyn Moorehouse / Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Lange, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jason Robards, Colin Firth: Drama regarding physical reference of structure and also the spanning of lives. A father leaves land to his three daughters in his will. His youngest daughter is an attorney who believes that he is making a mistake. His middle daughter remembers nights with incest and the desire for vengeance. The oldest cannot recollect these memories. When their father decides to take his land back, revenge becomes an option. Fine setup is reduced to predictable and unnecessary depression. Subplots dealing with incest, cancer and land settlements are poorly handled. Director Jacelyn Moorehouse does the best, and what works is the quality of the performances. While the resolution is hardly pleasant, it deals with a problem facing many households. Jessica Lange and Michelle Pfeiffer are at total odds yet supportive of one another, while Jennifer Jason Leigh is viewed as gullible when she defends her father. Jason Robards plays their cranky ill unpleasant father responsible for much heartache. Colin Firth plays a potential romantic element sighted by a couple of the women for a little crazy action. It is never fun to watch two daughters at odd with a parent as seen here but their pain is real or denied. Themes warrant reflection and understanding. Score: 7 / 10
Review of A Thousand Acres
