Come Early Morning (2006)

Director:

Joey Lauren Adams

Writer:

Joey Lauren Adams (writer)

Release Date:

31 August 2007 (Brazil)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A 30-something southern woman searches for love, despite the burdens she carries with her.

Plot Keywords:

Beer | Dog | Blonde | Vet | Bar

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ashley Judd	...	Lucy Fowler
Jason T. Davis	...	Motel Man
Richard Lee Crow	...	Motel Clerk
Laura Prepon	...	Kim
Christine Renee Ward	...	Sue (as Christy Ward)
Candyce Hinkle	...	Doll
Scott Wilson	...	Lowell Fowler
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Uncle Tim
Pat Corley	...	Papa
Diane Ladd	...	Nana
Wally Welch	...	Eli
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Bob
Jeffrey Donovan	...	Cal Percell
Nancy Ellen Mills	...	Michelle
Chuck Borden	...	Man with Michelle

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual situations.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Argentina:13 | USA:R | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Arkansas, USA

Company:

Bold Films

Trivia:

Joey Lauren Adams wrote the part of Lucy for herself, but gave the part to Ashley Judd when she decided she would be unable to direct the film and star in it.

Goofs:

Continuity: The jukebox Lucy picks up sits in the back of the pick-up truck for most of the movie because she doesn't know what she is going to do with it. After her breakdown, she goes back to apologize to her father for her drunken outrage the night before and when she pulls up, the jukebox is missing from the back of her truck - it's easy to tell as the jukebox is higher than the cab of her pick-up. In the next scene, when she goes to visit Cal, the jukebox is back on her pick-up truck.

Quotes:

Doll: You got no say over your heart, Lucy. And if you think you do, you'd best not let yours roam too far.

Movie Connections:

References "The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)

Soundtrack:

LEAVIN' AIN'T THE ONLY WAY TO GO

Ashley Judd, Welcome Back

COME EARLY MORNING marks the writing and directing debut of Joey Lauren Adams who elects to share a bit of her birthplace atmosphere in Arkansas and while the story is sound and the writing evocative of the personal turmoil of little towns populated by good but bored people, there is nothing new here. But just the opportunity to see gifted actress Ashley Judd strut her stuff is reason enough to watch this little film and makes us wonder where has she been since her 2004 stint in 'De-Lovely'. She is just too fine an actress not to be given more beefy roles.

Lucy Fowler (Judd) lives in a little Arkansas town, a successful contractor with boss Owen Allen (Stacy Keach, another underused fine actor), but a woman without a firm attachment to her fragmented family: her shy and sequestered father (Scott Wilson) has returned to town where he hides in alcohol and steps out only for Holy Roller church services; her grandmothers Doll (Candyce Hinkle) is unstable and keeps to herself and Nana (Diane Ladd) remains in a mutually abusive marriage; and her uncle Tim (Tim Blake Nelson) who is the only stalwart member of the clan. Lucy lives with her friend Kim (Laura Prepon) who understands Lucy's shortcomings: unable to form relationships, Lucy spends her weekends getting drunk at the local tavern and sleeping with anonymous men whom she deserts a dawn.

But things change when Lucy encounters Cal Percell (Jeffrey Donovan) who provides her with the first semblance of normalcy in her relationships with men, a frightening new step she abuses by entering into her drinking mode again. Lucy begins to make changes in her view of her family, her fear of being the mirror image of her father, in her work, and in the way she views men. And the film just trails off leaving us wondering what life will now be like.

Adams has a fine handle on her subject and creates dialog that feels like it should: her election to make such a fine three-dimensional character out of Lucy's father who barely has a line to say is much to her credit (and the strong performance by Scott Wilson!). But in the end it is the pleasure of seeing Ashley Judd in a meaty role that makes the difference. Grady Harp