Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sad drama about loss may be too heavy for kids.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Grace Is Gone
What's the Story?
GRACE IS GONE tells the story of father Stanley Phillips (John Cusack),who faces the heart-wrenching task of informing his two young daughters, Heidi (Shélan O'Keefe) and Dawn (Gracie Bednarczyk), that their soldier mother has been killed in Iraq. Winner of the Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance 2007, this film is a far cry from typical Hollywood war movies, where the battlefields take center stage. This time, those left behind are the ones whose experiences are in the spotlight.
Is It Any Good?
For the most part, director/screenwriter James C. Strouse manages to convey the family's grief in an admirably understated way, and Cusack is very believable as a father. That said, did Stanley have to be such a schlub? Everything from his facial expressions to his shuffling gait spells defeated -- so much so that viewers feel they're dragging, too.
The film starts clumsily, not quite finding its footing in the first half. Humorous early scenes, as when Stanley attends a support group for soldiers' wives, seem forced. But thank goodness for the children, who are clearly and genuinely talented. Soon after the film begins, you lose track of the fact that they're actors. Instead, your heart aches for them and the thought that they, real characters or not, won't grow up with their mother.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the media typically depicts war and its consequences. How is this film different from other movies about war? What are the experiences of families who go through this type of tragedy? Why do you think Stanley can't tell his daughters the truth right away? Also, what is the effect of never having Grace show up on camera? Is the film more or less effective for her absence?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 7, 2007
- On DVD or streaming : May 27, 2008
- Cast : Gracie Bednarczyk , John Cusack , Shelan O'Keefe
- Director : James C. Strouse
- Studio : Plum Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material, brief strong language and teen smoking.
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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