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Genre: Drama/Comedy
Studio: Usa Films
Release Date: April 2, 1999
Run Time: 118 minutes
Robert Altman revisits the lighthearted territory
of his 1970s comedies BREWSTER MCCLOUD and A
WEDDING and once again comes out a rousing
success. This time, a tightly wound narrative by
first-time screenwriter Anne Rapp keeps the laughs
rolling as the story unfolds over an eventful
Easter weekend in the small town of Holly Springs,
Mississippi. The town residents are peaceful, kind
folk--with the exception of Camille Dixon (Glenn
Close)--a pushy theatre director with an
incredibly shy younger sister,
Cora (Julianne Moore), whose estranged daughter Emma (Liv Tyler)
has just returned to town. On the heels of her
latest play, Camille is shocked to discover that
her Aunt Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt (Patricia Neal)
has committed suicide. Terrified at the thought of
how this will tarnish the family name, she eats
the suicide note to make it look like a burglary.
This set-up leads the police to one main suspect,
Willis Richland (Charles S. Dutton), who also
happens to be Cookie’s best friend. Although the
rest of the town is convinced Willis didn’t commit
the crime, an outside investigator
(Courtney B. Vance) isn’t so sure. As Easter Sunday and opening
night of the play arrive, the truth comes out,
revealing more secrets than anyone could have
possibly imagined. Director Altman tells his story
at a leisurely pace, beautifully recreating the
eccentricities of small town life in this sweet-natured tale. .
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