what impress me the most about one true thing be how up front it be when the daughter mention her mother cancer at the beginning of the movie . a depress the subject matter be and it be a refreshing change of pace instead of be blindside with the revelation about a character fatal illness 2/3 into the movie ( love story term of endearment and etc . ) . meryl streep and renee zellweger and william hurt give very strong performance that do not go over the edge . the character they play seem human while theyre not perfect people . ( arguably and one might not say that about the martha stewart type character streep play but throughout the film and i find her character to be noble in a non sappy way . she deal with her plight the best way she know how . ) one true thing be an observant and unsentimental family drama in which the tear at the end be well earn .