Review of Tully (2002) by Cory T — 19 Mar 2008

I have been immersed, somewhat, in the "farm-life scene", so I feel slightly credited with identifying the perfect atmosphere displayed here. Country life, although it is certainly not for me, does have an undeniable simplicity to it and "Tully" gets everything, in that respect, just right.

This film tackles some tough issues that allow the characters to become rich and emotionally challenged against the rural Nebraska background. The title character is shallow and detached, but desperately looking for something more. He is naturally attractive, which allows for excessive female attention, but deep down he knows that will never make him happy.

Tully and his younger brother, Earl, have assumed their mother died in a car accident when they were little when, in all actuality, she just abandoned the family. Now that she is dying of cancer, with her medical bills in the family farm's name, is forcing them to foreclose. This is the basic line of the plot and I explain it specifically because it strongly contrasts with the simplicity of these people's natural lives.

The way these characters deal with the tragedies and hardships dealt to them is the heart of this film's success. Nothing in this movie feels "like a movie" and the gap between cinematic objective viewing and reality is bridged, thus opening the flood gate of respect for characters as rich and alive as anyone we know.

That's the beauty of the movies.