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A Map Of The World
1999
A MAP OF THE WORLD is a brilliant adaptation of the popular novel by Jane Hamilton, concerning the lives of several small-town Wisconsin inhabitants. When a child drowns in her care, school nurse Alice Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver) crumbles with guilt. The little girl's mother, Theresa Collins (Julianne Moore), is shattered by the .. Read more
| Starring | Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, Chloe Sevigny, David Strathairn |
|---|---|
| Director | Scott Elliott |
| Genres | Drama |
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A Map Of The World
A MAP OF THE WORLD is a brilliant adaptation of the popular novel by Jane Hamilton, concerning the lives of several small-town Wisconsin inhabitants. When a child drowns in her care, school nurse Alice Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver) crumbles with guilt. The little girl's mother, Theresa Collins (Julianne Moore), is shattered by the news, ruining her friendship with Alice. Alice's situation takes an even grimmer turn when she is falsely accused by a student's mother (Chloe Sevigny) of abusing her child. She must serve jail time awaiting the trial and come to terms with personal issues that are threatening to destroy her--including admitting that she doesn't even like her own daughter.
| Starring | Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, Chloe Sevigny, David Strathairn, Arliss Howard, Louise Fletcher, Ron Lea, Marc Donato, Hayley Lochner, Dara Perlmutter, Kayla Perlmutter, Victoria Rudiak, Timm Zemanek |
|---|---|
| Director | Scott Elliott |
| Studio | CINEMA CLUB |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 3 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 03 Feb 2003 Production year: 1999 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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Several worlds away from the science-fiction series for which she now appears to be best known, Sigourney Weaver gives what is perhaps the finest performance of her career — as a rural housewife not just on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but engulfed by it. As Alice Goodwin, she's the lone bright woman in a Wisconsin farming community. But her mundane life is disturbed when a neighbour's two-year-old daughter drowns in her care and a young local, Robbie (Marc Donato), thereafter accuses her of sexual abuse. A term in prison and a resulting trial help to redeem her and bring about self-forgiveness. Director Scott Elliott loses his grip on the idea in the second half, but Weaver's performance transcends the flaws. It's the best drama she's ever done.
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"...A serious film that has provided Weaver with what is arguably the richest and most challenging role of her career....Weaver responds with a luminous portrayal that misses no nuances or implications..."
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Most helpful member's review
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
A strong cast barely holds this melodrama together
Alice Goodwin(Sigourney Weaver) is a mother of two and part-time school nurse who often looks after the children of her friend Theresa(Julianne Moore). On one of these occasions, Theresa's daughter wanders out while Alice's back is turned, and drowns in a nearby lake. Alice and Theresa are both devastated and their grief sours their friendship, but worse is yet to come.
Just as Alice and her husband Howard(David Strathairn, an excellent and understated performance) are recovering from the incident, Alice is arrested on a charge of sexually abusing the children in her care. She is carted off to jail as Howard tries to look after the kids and raise the money needed to get her home.
This soapy melodrama from first-time director Scott Elliott has little to recommend it. Peter Hedges' adaptation of Jane Hamilton's novel is a patchy affair, with incoherent plotting and uneven characterisation. Elliott's direction isn't much better, he fails to maintain a consistent pace throughout the film and at times it positively crawls. The scenes inside the prison are laughable, with lots of dreadful 'women's prison' stereotypes making life hard for Alice, and so are the final courtroom scenes. Nothing rings true.
However, Elliott has done what all first-time filmmakers should do - surround yourself with a first-rate cast. Sigourney Weaver gives one of her finest performances as Alice, a totally committed and convincing display which is all the more impressive given the incoherent development of her character.
Julianne Moore is always watchable and she excels in the early scenes here(not many actresses do grief as well as she does), but her character disappears halfway through. The rest of the cast is populated by various two-dimensional cliches.
Recent films such as 'In the Bedroom' and especially the magnificent 'The Sweet Hereafter' have examined the effect of a sudden death on relationships and society. 'A Map of the World' has similar intentions, but fails at the most basic levels. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Missing something
There are some pretty good performances in this movie but it's missing something. The missing factor made it drag on a bit but all in all it was an okay movie!
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A Map Of The World
A MAP OF THE WORLD is a brilliant adaptation of the popular novel by Jane Hamilton, concerning the lives of several small-town Wisconsin inhabitants. When a child drowns in her care, school nurse Alice Goodwin (Sigourney Weaver) crumbles with guilt. The little girl's mother, Theresa Collins (...
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