the leading man is my tpye

Disappointment for a huge fan!

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

The film takes place in 1978 in the small mining town of Big Stone Gap, Virginia. It centers on Ave Maria Mulligan who is "the town spinster" and owns the pharmacy. Her boyfriend is Theodore Tipton (John Benjamin Hickey) an outsider. It is clear her heart is with Jack MacChesney (Patrick Wilson) who likewise had loved her since the sixth grade. Jack works in the mines and is dating Sweet Sue (Jane Krakowski) a single mom who oozes with love and affection. The deck is stacked against them.The film had its mildly humorous moments, but is clearly not a romantic comedy. It is a feel good formula romance. It won't win any awards, but there was nothing bad about the feature. Whoopi Goldberg had a role slightly less than her billing, but was still entertaining. Dagmara Dominczyk who plays Elizabeth Taylor in the film is Patrick Wilson's off screen wife.If a simple small town formula feel good romance is what you want to watch, look no further.No swearing, sex, or nudity.

We found this movie on Netflix streaming. It is a small movie and comes off as a "made for TV" production but actually had a short theatrical run. Interestingly the small town of Big Stone Gap is real, in the western part of Virginia just a few miles north of the Tennessee border, and the writer/director is from Big Stone Gap. Presumably some of the actors and many of the extras were residents of the community.It is set in 1978 and the two featured character are 40, Patrick Wilson (actually 40 during filming) as coal miner Jack MacChesney and Ashley Judd (actually 45 during filming) as Ave Maria Mulligan. Jack and Ave each are somewhat seeing other people but it is clear from the start that he has an eye for her. But for some reason she seems unapproachable.Ave runs the family drug store in the small town of a few thousand and knows just about everyone, and is one of the few "serious" characters in this movie. She is a good soul and a kind person.The story here is nice and ends well. But my biggest issue with the movie is how almost all the characters are played as caricatures. They say things or do things that aren't very authentic and most seem to be buffoons. There is a good enough core story here that they didn't need to go overboard with the silliness and slapstick.SPOILERS: Ave's mother dies and when the lawyer, a family friend, meets with her for the will he also gives her an envelope. Her mother had left it to tell her the true story, she had arrived from Italy pregnant and the dad Ave grew up with was not her biological father. In the envelope was a photo and name of her father in Italy. Unknown to her Jack finds the man and brings him to Big Stone Gap to surprise Ave, and she and Jack finally get together, right after she finds out her "man", the local band director, is really a homosexual.

I hadn't seen many previews about this movie but I had seen an interview with Jenna Elfman before it came out.The only thing I had trouble with in the beginning was a few of the characters I wasn't sure their relationship with Ave and their professions. But all was explained as the story went on. This was an excellent movie. One minute I was laughing, one minute I was crying.My only problem was why did Jack and Ave wait so long to express their feelings? Ending was different than I was expecting, hoping that Jack and Ave would go to Italy for their honeymoon. But it still ending great. If you see it on DVD, be sure and watch all the bonus features.

This adaptation is dramatic, interesting, and a great period piece. I really like that the cast of this film is filled with recognizable actors and actresses who make it a great film. In a small town in Virginia, the life of middle aged spinster, Ave Marie (Ashley Judd) is shaken up and permanently altered when, after a semi-anticipated unfortunate event, she discovers a family secret that has been buried for a long time. While she tries to figure out why things are the way they are, her eyes are opened to situations and experiences that she never noticed. Ave Marie makes a life altering decision and as a result the whole town unravels. Since this film is a period piece, I was really intrigued as I watched it. I love all of the romantic aspects that are displayed throughout this film. Along with the romance and bits drama, Big Stone Gap offers great comedy, which really separates the dramatic pieces nicely and gives this film great balance. My favorite character would have to be Fleeta (Whoopi Goldberg) because of the comedy she gives to the film and also because of the boldness and confidence in her character. Over all, I cannot say this I have a favorite scene, every bit of story line is interesting and entertaining, I will say this all the scenes with Fleeta are very nice to watch due to the way her character interacts with others. Another aspect that I greatly enjoy is the wardrobe, because of how much it's involved in this story, the clothing that is worn, adds different details to each and every character and their personality. Even though sometimes I am a bit confused about the plot line, everything clears up in the end. A message that I found in Big Stone Gap is that life is always changing, and nothing is set in stone. Another message is that sometimes life is unfair, and we shouldn't dwell on all the inconveniences in life for too long.I recommend this film for ages 9 to 18, due to its slight suggestive content. I give it 4 out of 5 stars, because of its comedy, romance, and cast. Big Stone Gap is in theaters October 9th, so please check it out. Reviewed by Brianna B., Age 15, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.