'Gracie's Choice' [DVD + Digital]
(Kristen Bell, Diane Ladd, Anne Heche, et al / DVD + Digital / TV-PG / (2004) 2020 / Mill Creek Entertainment)
Overview: A desperate war between generations of women sets the stage for an unprecedented legal battle as a young girl challenges her mother and fights the system to gain legal custody of her own siblings.
'Gracie's Choice,' starring Kristen Bell is an important and provocative true drama that will open your eyes and your heart.
DVD Verdict: Wow! 'Grace's Choice' is one of the most inspiring movies I've seen. A true story of a teenager who takes on the responsibility of raising her three brothers due to their drunken mother's absence, she changes her life and gives up a lot to care for her brothers, keep them together and create a stable, loving home.
In the process, through very hard times she manages to work full-time and finish school amongst other things.
The story is initially sad, showing Anne Heche as an irresponsible, possibly disturbed woman. She has many children, does not know who their fathers are, and manipulates her elderly mother (Diane Ladd) into supporting all of them - she basically collects welfare support for each child and squanders it.
As Gracie matures, she sees her mother for what she truly is, and decides she must adopt the younger children. Her sister becomes pregnant at 16 to escape the situation, and goes off to live with a different boyfriend.
Gracie emerges stronger and with the help of social services and her counselor she finds an apartment, a job, and attends school and graduates as well.
Kristen Bell does a wonderful job in this movie. The thing I love about this movie is that Gracie isn't going to let anything come between her and her little brothers, which are now her own "children," of course.
In closing, I highly recommend this movie to everyone. It is well worth your time and it shows people anything is possible if you put your heart into it.
Sure, it's a little bit of a chick flick, but very much worth watching for people of all ages, trust me. This is a Widescreen Presentations (1.85:1) and enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
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