All We Had

Movie review by S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
All We Had Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 15+

Well-acted but listless mom-daughter drama has drinking.

NR 2016 86 minutes
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that All We Had focuses on the relationship between a single mom (Katie Holmes, who also directs) and her teenage daughter (Stefania Owen). They're desperately broke and end up working together in a small-town diner while trying to figure out what to do with themselves. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis that devastated rural towns across the country, the movie includes a fair bit swearing ("f--k," "s--t," etc.), as well as smoking and drinking -- including by teenagers. There's a gradual realization that a main character has a drinking problem; she attends AA meetings. Several scenes show people kissing/fooling around, but there's no graphic nudity. A woman is almost raped in a parking lot by a group of men, but they're chased off.

Community Reviews

Virginia T.
Virginia T. Adult
August 16, 2017
age 14+

ALL WE HAD

I would like my teen granddaughters to see it. Yes there is swearing (out of frustration) drinking (shown in a negative way) and sex (because of fear of being unlovable) This was a movie so true to many stories out there about displaced people living on the edge and doing the best they can, but unable to see beyond their next meal. I loved the ending. It can be what ever you want it to be. It weaves in kindness, hope, frustration, cruelty and unconditional love. Katie Holmes did a thought provoking movie close to a documentary reflective of so many peoples' lives. See it with your teens. Take a box of tissues though.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In ALL WE HAD, Rita (Katie Holmes) is a single mom who seems to bounce from one bad boyfriend to another, eventually skipping town when the relationship has run its course -- always with her teenage daughter, Ruthie (Stefania Owen), in tow. Broke, they end up stuck in a small town after trying to skip out on the check at a diner, only to see their car finally break down. It's a sign, perhaps, and Rita ends up landing a job at the diner after she offers a heartfelt apology to the owner (Richard Kind). It might finally be time for the two of them to put down some roots, but not everything goes smoothly.

Is It Any Good?

This mother-daughter drama marks Holmes' directing debut, and while it has strong performances, it limps along with no clear destination. Owen, as well as Eve Lindley as a diner co-worker and Luke Wilson as a semi-regular customer, all work well together on the screen, and the characters' budding friendships seem real and appealing. But that's about it. We see the mother-daughter bond evolve, but neither of the main characters seems to grow much. They're much the same at the end of the movie as they were at the start.

The movie's moments are stitched together with a plodding voiceover that has plenty of detail but little that drums up excitement. While viewers might like Ruthie, there's not much reason to get invested in her character, and there are lots of reasons to be skeptical about Rita's abilities. Holmes does a fine job portraying the flighty, self-indulgent mother, but acting alone can't make All We Had a compelling film.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how All We Had treats drinking/alcoholism. Does it seem realistic? What are the consequences?

  • How does this movie compare to other films about single moms looking for a better life for them and their children? Why do you think this theme is especially common in movies about mothers and daughters?

  • Does Rita and Ruthie's relationship seem realistic? Does their connection feel authentic?

Movie Details

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