TUMBLEWEEDS

US, 1999, 107 minutes, Colour.
Janet Mc Teer, Kimberley J. Brown, Gavin O’ Connor, Jay O. Sanders, Lois Smith, Michael J.Pollard.
Directed by Gavin O ’Connor.

Tumbleweeds is a small budget film that was a critical success and Janet Mc Teer was nominated for an Oscar for best actress. She is excellent, a British stage actress perfectly embodying a carefree woman from the American south. Kimberly J. Brown is also excellent as Ava, her daughter, matching Janet Mc Teer as performance and portraying the very interesting couple.

The material is rather familiar, a mother and daughter story, but the performances and the writing and the general positive atmosphere make for an engaging experience.

The film was written by Gavin O’ Connor and Angela Shelton who had been married but divorced prior to the making of this film. It is based on Angela Shelton’s own experience with her mother. Gavin O’ Connor appears effectively as the truckie, John. O’ Connor went on to direct some successful films including power and the Oscar-nominated, warriors. There is a genial performance by Jay O. Sanders as a co-worker.

The film is a pleasing road movie, move from North Carolina through Missouri to California and San Diego.

1. An effective portrait of mother and daughter? Familiar material, but different? Engaging experience?

2. The title, Mary Jo and Ava, wandering like tumbleweeds, together, the possibility of settling down? The reasons for the wandering?

3. The location photography from North Carolina across a range of states, to Missouri, to California, San Diego? A road movie? The different landscapes? The musical score?

4. Janet Mc Teer as Mary Jo? British, her authentic accent, swagger and style, exuberance? Mary Jo’s story, married at 17, four marriages, wanting to get away from her mother, the violent experiences, her pregnancy, bring up her daughter, the opening scene of abuse, their leaving, her taking Ava?

5. Ava and her age, and a modern, bright girl, smart and articulate, going on the road, more mature than her mother, with her 12 year old’s limits? The destinations, talking things over with her mother, sharing the jokes, sense of irony? Staying at the motels? Her mother’s hat, throwing it out the window, throwing away their clothes, a new beginning?

6. On their way, enjoying the driving, the phone call to the high school man she had a crush on, going to his house, seeing him, immediately leaving? The car being smashed? The blowout, help from John, flirting with him? Ava wanting to go to California, her reasons, the ocean? Their arrival and going into the water?

7. Mary Jo looking for a job, meeting Laurie, chatting with her, the interview with Mr. Cummings, getting the job, lax in her performance, friendship with Dan, Ava at the office, the photocopy, Mary Jo and creating a scene because she was too slow, Mr. Cummings and saying a few truths about him?

8. The visit to Ginger, Mary Jo’s knowledge of plants, able to work in the garden, Ginger as a character, friendly, her marriages, Mary Jo asking for the job, getting it?

9. Going out, and seeing John, meeting him again, the spending the night together, the morning after, deciding to stay? Seeming like a family? John going out, driving the truck, his arrival home, anger, the television couch, Mary Jo taking the furniture, everything in the kitchen, and her sensible reasons? His anger at the food, Ava asking for more? Mary Jo and talk about herself, and not asking John about his day, his being fired? His going out and getting the job? Celebrating at the restaurant, the scene, Ava and her behaviour, reading Shakespeare, John’s reactions and demands, a fish restaurant? Mary Jo and leaving?

10. Ava, at school, the class, the literature teacher, friendship with Zoe, with Adam? And the auditions for Romeo and Juliet, Zoe upset, but Ava’s audition for Romeo, getting it? Adam being Tybaltl? The discussions with Dan about how to recite Shakespearean verse, the beat, the heart? And reading it at the restaurant? The date with Adam, the film ,the kissing? Mary Jo and the apple and teaching Ava how to kiss?

11. The play, performance, the effect on Mary Jo?

12. Dan, his going out with Mary Jo to the concert? Ava upset with her mother, not wanting to go to Arizona, going to Dan and his trailer, listening to Dan’s story about his wife, and the party, drinking, the accident, her death? His not going on the trip? And phoning Mary Jo about Ava?

13. Laurie, her wedding, Mary Jo’s excitement, staying? Ava happy? Dan going on his trip?

14. An engaging experience?