Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Brie Larson | ... | Jeannette | |
Woody Harrelson | ... | Rex | |
Naomi Watts | ... | Rose Mary | |
Ella Anderson | ... | Young Jeannette | |
Chandler Head | ... | Youngest Jeannette | |
Max Greenfield | ... | David | |
Josh Caras | ... | Brian | |
Charlie Shotwell | ... | Young Brian | |
Iain Armitage | ... | Youngest Brian | |
Sarah Snook | ... | Lori | |
Sadie Sink | ... | Young Lori | |
Olivia Kate Rice | ... | Youngest Lori | |
Brigette Lundy-Paine | ... | Maureen | |
Shree Crooks | ... | Young Maureen (as Shree Grace Crooks) | |
Eden Grace Redfield | ... | Youngest Maureen |
A young woman reflects on her unconventional upbringing at the hands of her artsy, nonconformist parents, which sometimes resulted in the family living in poverty. Now engaged to a man who works in finance in New York, she faces criticism from her parents that she's betrayed their values.
This may not be a movie to watch if you were raised in a dysfunctional family. It may bring back unpleasant memories as it did for me. I had to first read some of the critic reviews to see if their reactions were like mine. They were to a large degree. The problem lies with the premise that such bad parents as the Walls, can somehow at movies end have a happy face put on it. Make no mistake, this is an unpleasant movie featuring first rate actors trying to make a flawed screen adaptation work. Ella Anderson is the star of the movie, but Woody Harrelson plays such a bad dad, it is hard to buy into the sympathetic ending. Brie Larson is good but her playing the adult Jeanette Walls is the less interesting part of the story.