can scarcely imagine a good movie than thishey and before you all go chick flick on me . i be a very large strong and masculine and macho man and who happen to think this be one of the good movie of the last 20 year . the acting be superb and the story be marvelous . this be wonderful medicine for the heart and soul . the acting could not have be well nor the movie well cast . i have know for a good while that mercedes ruehl and along with holly hunter and joan plowright and dame edith evans and sissy spacek and judi dench be among the great actress ever to appear on film . and of course cloris leachman ( also in this film ) in my view may in fact exceed them all in the shear magnum of her talent and varied role she have appear in over the year . at any rate this be an amazing cast . this film be like a book that you can not lay down and and when you have reach the last page wish for more . still more . i can not for the life of me understand why this film here on the imdb only rate a 3 . 9that rating here be utterly amaze to me . or perhaps not . perhaps in fact i do understand it ever so well and that be what make me really sad . it make me ever so sad that film like american beauty leave la vega sexy beast and fight club rating skyrocket off the chart in popularity when they in fact at least in this viewer opinion should have receive an r rating . r that be for rubbish . hey o. k. and i realize there be a lot of different story in this world for a lot of different audience and but it be a sad commentary when this lovely and powerful . extraordinarily and direct and act and and write film seem to be over looked . it obviously be at the academy award as well . how sad . and how predictable . my summation be that if you want to see a powerful and happy and sad and beautiful story . watch . preferably own this film .