Big Stone Gap
- Review Date: October 8, 2015
- Rated: PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- Release Year: 2015
- Running Time: 103 minutes
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What parents need to know
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Big Stone Gap is a romantic comedy starring Ashley Judd that's focused on life in a Virginia coal-mining town in the late 1970s. Overall this story about living life and pursuing your dreams (fi you can figure out what they are) is quite mild: Expect some sexual innuendo (including speculation about a character's sexual preferences) and kissing and very infrequent swearing (including "ass" and "screw"). Some characters smoke cigarettes and drink, including a weeding scene in which a bride and groom are almost too wasted to make it down the aisle.
What's the story?
Ave Maria Mulligan (Ashley Judd) has spent her entire life in BIG STONE GAP, a Virginia coal-mining town where everyone knows everyone else. As the owner of the local pharmacy, she's used to taking care of her customers' ailments, but eventually she realizes that she's neglected herself -- and now that she's 40, she'd better figure out what she needs, and quickly.
Is it any good?
The town of Big Stone Gap seems like a nice enough place to live, as long as you don't have very big dreams or much desire to see what's going on in the rest of the world; the film is about the same. It's narrowly focused on a very small slice of life, which may appeal to some viewers, but many others may find it slow. All the characters are pleasant enough, though none of them are very complex or well fleshed-out. Even Ave Maria, the main character, seems like a blank page, waiting for a random series of plot complications to be inscribed.
The basic story is simple, with Ave Maria uncovering some long-buried family secrets. But each chapter feels like a totally different tale, without much to connect them and little to propel the plot or maintain viewers' interest. None of the characters ever leaps off the screen, and the film doesn't give us much reason to care about them.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about Big Stone Gap's messages. Why is it important to live life for yourself? Is it ever too late to start following your dreams?
What do you think about the film's portrayal of living in a small town in the 1970s? Does it feel accurate? Was life really simpler back then? Why do you think people are so often nostalgic for earlier eras?
How is drinking portrayed in the movie? Are there realistic consequences?
Movie details
| Theatrical release date: | October 9, 2015 |
| DVD release date: | February 2, 2016 |
| Cast: | Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg |
| Director: | Adriana Trigiani |
| Studio: | Picturehouse |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 103 minutes |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | brief suggestive material |
About Our Rating System
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