the dvd jacket in which this movie come describe it a uplifting and humorous . those be not the word i would have choose not by a long shot . i would choose a word like sombre and sometimes even depress . which isn not to say that it a bad movie . it actually a pretty good movie and feature good performance from the lead and with enough uncertainty throughout about what go to happen at the end that you keep watch . the uncertainty come from the structure of the movie it seem to revolve around ellen reminiscence of her mother slow death from cancer and a she be interview by the da . so and we know from the start that something suspicious happen at the end the question be what . and who . renee zellweger be very good a ellen the somewhat resentful daughter who have to give up her life and job in new york to return home to care for her sick mother . ellen evolve through the movie moreso than any other character a she learn to deal with both the strength and weakness of her parent . her relationship with her father ( william hurt ) be quite interesting . my initial impression be that they be quite close and but the wart in the relationship start to show after a while . hurt be effective a the detached husband detach not in an uncaring way and but in the sense of be unable to cope with what happen to his wife and and seek escape from it in various way . finally and meryl streep a the cancer stricken kate be very convincing in the role and seek to live out what remain of her life in the most fulfilling way possible and then deal with the anger she feel at her increase debilitation . in a way and watch a family deal with this kind of crisis remind me a little bit of ordinary people and although this movie be far less emotionally intense . so and not uplifting and humorous ( with all due respect to whoever write the synopsis on the dvd jacket ) but very good in it own way . positive .