Review of One True Thing (1998) by Leighton T — 20 Jun 2010

A wonderfully acted film that takes its beauty from its simplistic drama. There is nothing flashy here, where it could've been. And the acting could've easily been over the top, especially from the stock kind of character Zellweger plays, but she is fantastic. There are a few moments overall that strike an absent chord (maybe more to the age of the film than anything), but it's Franklin's great less-is-more direction that allows the film to breathe and not become a claustrophobic disease-of-the-week movie: the scene where the town sings Silent Night as Zellweger's character holds her mother is almost single-handedly responsible for this.

Streep is heartbreaking. She seems to barely do anything, is really more of a supporting character, but still manages to carry the film and presents a vision of death towards the end of the film that gives the casual viewer more than just a pause. Her Oscar nod here was well deserved. As well, William Hurt is again fantastic and is one of those actors, who while he has won an Oscar, is still very underknown and seems to put in good work every single time.