Parents' Guide to

Big Stone Gap

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Flat comedy about small-town '70s life lacks laughs.

Movie PG-13 2015 103 minutes
Big Stone Gap Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

gina S.
gina S. Adult
December 28, 2016
age 13+

a sweet love story

a full star cast with a sweet love story. the stars should have been Jenna Elfman and Paul Wilson. They stole the show. I think some of the best scenes may have hit the cutting room floor. but it is still a really cute movie about a small town in Virginia with nice home town people.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

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?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The town of Big Stone Gap seems like a nice enough place to live, if 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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

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