Review of Belonging (2004) by Sunshine M — 23 Dec 2018

I found this gem on a free preview of Acorn TV. I did not realize at first that this was a made for TV movie. To put this in perspective here, our "made for TV movies" have come down to Lifetime where it is about creepy people online and dating stories, or Hallmark, where they churn out ridiculous "romance: movies that feature one of three plots: a woman moves to a small town and somehow meets the handsome, rich, single man who just never happened to meet the right woman.

Or, a woman gets a new job where she meets an annoying man that she argues with for the first hour and fifty minutes and then they realize that they are madly in love. But I digress. You get it done, GB, and way to go.

Brenda Blethyn was superb as Jess. The story is about her and her life after her husband leaves her unexpectedly and unceremoniously. This was a superior character study with Blethyn rising to the occasion.

The movie was sometimes amusing, often heartbreaking, and very real. Jess is a kindhearted woman who realizes after her husband leaves that sometimes being so kindhearted can be to her detriment. Her husband still tries to manipulate her, she finds herself still caring for his rotten, verbally abusive mother even after her son left her.

Through all of this, Jess begins to rebuild her life. It was real, raw, sometimes funny, and so well done. And very inspiring. The nuances of a woman who could never give her husband children, we never learn why.

By the end of the movie, we see tremendous growth in Jess. This movie is a US quality indie movie, and it is very well done. I highly recommend this superior character study of an inspiring woman.