Hope Floats

  • Review Date: September 20, 2005
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Drama
  • 1998
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Redemptive drama ready made for family viewing.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie deals with the separation of Birdee Pruitt and her husband Bill after Birdee learns that he has been having an affair with her best friend on a national talk show. The separation is traumatic to the couple's daughter, Bernice, and the film may be difficult for children who have had to deal with their parents' separation or divorce. Characters drink and argue. Sexual activity is referenced, but neither shown nor discussed in detail. The film also deals frankly with death.

  • Not applicable.
  • Birdee grabs her daughter Bernice's arm during an argument. A classmate beats Bernice up after class.
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

When Birdie Pruitt (Sandra Bullock) finds out about her husband's affair on a national talk show, she packs up her daughter Bernice (Mae Whitman) and heads back to Smithville, TX to live with her mother Ramona (Gena Rowlands). Back home, Birdie must confront the folks who have known her and her ex-husband their whole lives. As the town wonders out loud what might have gone wrong between the star quarterback and the beauty queen, Birdie tries to make peace with her mother and find a job. Of course, this being a romantic comedy, Birdie has to fall in love. The lucky man in this particular story is Justin Matisse (Harry Connick Jr.), who has moved back to Smithville from California and is working as a handyman.


Is it any good?

 

If HOPE FLOATS has any lesson at its core, it's that there's nothing like your hometown to humble you. For the most part, it's easy, unchallenging entertainment. Nothing's really wrong with the film, but it lacks distinction. Forest Whitaker's direction manages to avoid any serious pitfalls. The greatest attraction the film has to offer is the inimitable Gena Rowlands as Birdie's eccentric, quick-witted mother.


Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about the difficulty Birdee has moving home. Birdee calls her mother "the town joke" and says she was embarrassed of her mother as a child. Do other characters in the film seem to see Ramona Calvert as a joke? How does moving home humble Birdie? Families may also want to discuss Ramona Calvert's death, as it may be troubling to young viewers.


This review was written by Carly Kocurek
Teen, 15 years old
July 23, 2011
 
Waste of Time
This movie was just stupid. I hated all of the characters. There's really nothing left to say other than Sandra Bullock can't do a half decent southern accent.

Flag as inappropriate 
Parent of 4 year old
February 15, 2009
 
hope floats
bhhvb

Flag as inappropriate 
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
I cried so hard....it was such a lovely movie
Get a box of tissues ready, because you'll need them when Birdee goes to visit her father's nursing home. This movie is at times funny, sad, and touching. I didn't find that there was anything that would be considered "bad" in it, although younger children might not understand some of the stuff about Alzheimers and why Birdee and her husband divorced.

Flag as inappropriate 
Parent
February 22, 2012
 
Terrible Parenting
I think this movie has a terrible message for parenting style. Birdee, the mother, is selfish, she does not support her daughter during this traumatic experience, and deals terribly with her depression by hurting her entire family. She does not appreciate all her mother has done for her and her daughter. Birdee is also completely unaware of what her daughter is going through at school and does not inquire as to why Bernice was upset afterwards.

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Carly Kocurek
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Director:Forest Whitaker
Cast:Gena Rowlands, Harry Connick Jr., Sandra Bullock
Genre:Drama
Run time:114 minutes
Theatrical release date:May 29, 1998
DVD release date:November 3, 1998
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:thematic elements

This review was written by Carly Kocurek
 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

 

vote now

Will you see Hope Floats?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Been There? Tell us about it