If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Although this movie was very emotional, it is more than a soap opera. I think it speaks to religion and the pitfalls of blind faith. Also, I think the competent cast elevated it above mere soap.The story is about a family that functions at a high level - as long as there are no bumps in the road. When the family is tested, not every family member has the inner strength or character to keep the family together.The father sends the daughter away because 'he loves her so much he can no longer look at her'. The mother supports the father, blindly hoping things will work out. The daughter loves the father so much she believes he will change and call for her to come home. She desperately waits for him to call her home, suspended in a state of sadness and shame. She prays and relies on her religion to help her through it. But is is not until she seemingly gives up on God to help her that she slowly unravels from her despair. Weak and lost throughout the story, it it not until she finds the strength to forgive her father and mother so she can move beyond the past and find a life for herself.Once the father - the supposed rock the family was built on - is gone, the family unites again.

This is meant to be a sad and inspiring drama based on a popular novel. I hadn't read the novel and didn't know what to expect. While watching it though I couldn't help but find it hilarious. Not in a bad way though. They take the viewer into the image of a perfectly happy Christian family with no troubles and a great life. They quickly corrupt this image to their full extent with a series of rape, violence, excessive alcohol drinking, child disowning, child-abuse, illegal weapon use and near murder.The plot is fairly simple. A family must test their faith and selflessness when a series of vile acts are befell upon them.Not too intense though and not really the best movie to watch if your bored. It doesn't seem to go in too many directions. Stays fairly simple so the majority of people would probably leave their seat halfway through. But this movie is easy to just sit down too if you want to get in deep with your thoughts. 5/10

"We Were the Mulvaneys" tells of a nauseatingly, oh so perfect family not unlike "Father Knows Best" or "Ozzie and Harriet" who suffer a tragedy, a rape, which begins a chain of events resulting in the fission of the nuclear family. Pausing to dwell on the emoting while skipping through time for the rest of the story, everything which happens in this squeaky clean contrivance seems to be little more than an excuse for melodrama making this film just more low budget TV drama queen fodder for Lifetime channel hanky-wringers. Pretty awful stuff made for those who can swallow huge choking gulps of stereotypes, cliches, and melodrama. Recommended for soap opera fans and the like. You know who you are. (C+)

Blythe danner as Corinne is inspired, yet for some reason the feeling of the movie was so terribly insipid compared to the book. The rest of the actors seemed very stiff and not to understand themselves within the context of the story; particularly Marianne's character. And the costumes sucked. Whenever I read this novel I think it would be perfect for a movie, but unfortunately this version fell threw. I hope they option it for the big screen using some more talented actors or at least a more talented director.