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Crappy film

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

There are some films you watch because they have a great story. This is not one of them.There are some films you watch because of a great acting performance. This is supposed to be one of those films. But in reality, it is not. I don't care that Geraldine Page won an Academy Award for this film; in my view it was a payback for having been nominated 7 times previously and not winning.Now, why do I say that her performance is not Oscar worthy. Go back and watch 1963's "Toys In The Attic" starring her, Dean Martin, and Wendy Hiller. Same performance, just a different script and different lines. I would have thought it was a fine performance had I not been familiar with "Toys In The Attic".What about supporting actor John Heard as the son. Wooden. Talking, not acting. Thumbs down (and yet I have seen Heard be very good in other films).How about Carlin Glynn as Heard's wife? Too shrill. Overacting.In my view, the only performance worth watching in the film was that of Richard Bradford in a somewhat small role as the sheriff. Nicely played. Actually, Rebecca De Mornay is fairly good as a fellow bus passenger, as well.Sorry, but this film -- the type of film I often like -- gets a BIG thumbs down from me.

This is acting legend Geraldine Page's final Oscar-winning performance at the age of 61, after harvesting eight nominations during her renowned silver-screen career, and she passed away two years later in 1987. So Ms. Close, don't give up your hope yet, please live long and prosper.THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL is an adaptation of Horton Foote's eponymous play, sets in Houston in 1940s, Mrs. Watts (Page) lives with her son Ludie (Heard) and his wife Jessie Mae (Glynn) in a two-room apartment, for almost two decades, Mrs. Matts tries to visit her hometown, Bountiful, an obsolete town being forgotten by any train or bus schedule, for the last time, however, Ludie and Jessie Mae can always pre-empt her plan in the past years, this time, after a sleepless night and the quotidian spat with Jessie Mae, plus a sinking spell may indicate that she has some heart problem, Ms. Watts ramps up all the courage and she must go back to Bountiful on her own, with the pension check she smartly concealed from Jessie Mae.Luck is also on her side, finally, she dodges Ludie and Jessie Mae's search in the bus station and befriends with her fellow passenger Thelma (De Mornay), a young married girl whose husband is dispatched to the war zone, on the bus to the nearest town from Bountiful. A quasi mother-daughter bond builds tenderly while they confide their stories en route. When Thelma leaves for her destination, Mrs. Watts stays over in the local station until the Sheriff (Bradford) arrives to inform her that Ludie will fetch her up at the morning. Out of despair, Ms. Watts plead the Sheriff to drive her to Bountiful, allow her to see her old house for the last time before Ludie arrives.This is a featherweight indie picture, with a handful of actors, spanning merely two nights and two days, Page's Mrs. Watts is always in the centre of the story, she is a country girl in spirit, crammed in a small apartment and crashes with an ultra-selfish Jessie Mae in every possible way (the hymn, the pout and the gait), as she pointedly confesses to Thelma - when you have a son, when he marries, you lose a son, but if you have a daughter, when she marries, you get a son! She is too benign to defy Jessie Mae since Ludie is a weak- minded man, a mother's self-sacrifice is inbuilt, her longing for the land where raises her is the only getaway from a grating reality. Ms. Page pitches at every note of emotions precisely in her warm and endearing performance, looks rather older than her real age, she doesn't possess any idiosyncrasy or appeal to be a figure under the spotlight, Mrs. Watts is such an ordinary old woman one can meet everyday and pay no attention of, but thanks to Foote's very personal and unostentatious script, her mere dream is amplified into a universally affecting pursuit of fulfilment, particularly edifying for us, as our parents are in the same range of Mrs. Watts, homesick, nostalgia and past memories become all they have in the world. In retrospect, it is rather astonishing to realise from Houston to Bountiful it only takes more or less 10-12 hours by driving, how come Ludie never brings his mother to visit for once is quite baffling, he is not that callous kind. John Heard's acting is not at the same clique as Page's not only because Ludie is a pretty dislikable character in default, his only great moment is his big confession scene, otherwise, he is a bland actor. Carlin Glynn's Jessie Mae, on the other hand, excruciatingly hammy, but frankly speaking, Glynn saves the day by injecting a patina of self-awareness which underlines maybe Jessie Mae is not a complete damaged good, she is an egocentric virago for sure, but she is not the evil kind, she is not entirely hostile towards Mrs. Watts, her life is also stuck in a stifled status quo, sometimes we stupidly and unintentionally discharge our dissatisfaction towards those who are near us, it's just human nature, no misogynous overtone is agitated. In a word, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL is Ms. Page's showpiece to the hilt, a star-making device aiming for that golden statue and it succeeds, but you could say it is a fair play, and in 2014 a TV remake with a core black cast with Cicely Tyson, Vanessa Williams and Blair Underwood, verifies that this old yarn is still relevant nowadays.

Every so often someone makes a film that is beyond praise; it doesn't happen all that often because if it did the Multiplexes would close for lack of fodder. Sometimes it's an example of sheer brilliance, Citizen Kane, for example, but often it's something deceptively simple like Cinema Paradiso, Il Postino, Le Grand Chemin. Significantly those last three titles are European (for that matter Orson Welles was a 'European' filmmaker in all but country of origin) but very occasionally an American filmmaker will produce the goods. The Trip To Bountiful is the goods. Led by a truly luminous performance that inspired the entire supporting players to raise their game. A total delight.

I never know what to write about movies like "The Trip to Bountiful." So many users have already given it accolades; what else is there to write ? Once again, I stumbled on it on TCM in the middle of this film. I'd always wanted to see it. People who have not experienced the closeted atmosphere this plot depicts (several people living in a small apartment) are truly lucky - I have and am, although I'm not directly involved.Peter Masterson has directed a masterpiece from Horton Foote's script, although I doubt seriously if he had much to do with Geraldine Page's ("Carrie Watts") performance. She WAS "Carrie;" she portrayed this eccentric lady with a revelation seldom achieved by anyone. Although I missed the first half of the movie, I didn't need it - I could understand each character's personality clearly, although there were some whom I really didn't want to understand. But, isn't that life ? I did not recognize John Heard ("Ludie Watts"). He was perfect for that character, as was Carlin Glynn ("Jessie Mae"). Didn't you want to choke her? A fabulous performance. In the confines of their apartment, "Ludie" knew he was a failure in his life, because he had neither the courage to reprimand his wife nor gently accompany his mother to her dearest place on earth. He left that up to "the Sheriff" (Richard Branford)....another stellar performance.Every scene in this movie, I'm sure, was a gem, carried by Ms. Page. I was certain it was going to be "Thelma" (Rebecca de Mornay) to take "Carrie" to Bountiful.....she was so kindly aware of "Carrie's" predicament. Yet, that would have prevented the redemption of the other characters. "Ludie's" confession and demonstration of his love for "Carrie"; "Jessie Mae's" shock to receive the sweet kiss on her cheek by "Carrie", who accepted all of the demands of "the list". A touching shocker when "Carrie" let the magic of her life sift through her fingers as she scooped-up a handful of earth.....you know she saw her mom and dad on the porch.We all will make a "Bountiful" trip, either actual or imaginary. I'd jump into my auto right now, if I thought it would make it to Mississippi. Flying would be too abrupt - it's the build-up to the ultimate desire to re-connect with the past. This is a movie which should be shared by an entire family-viewing.......I've rated it at 50.