tonyblass One of my favorite movies of any genre. You may be put off at first by the efficient TV movie opening which quickly and perhaps a bit glibly sums up the relationship of a domineering, aristocratic mother and quirky daughter who yearns to break free of her privileged suburban upbringing to become a pop music singer. But hang in there. A few scenes later you realize the rapid pacing and concise storytelling is the director's unusual and apparently risky choice of creating a film in the manner of it's subject: the breezy and innocently naive world of pop music of the late 1950s and early 60s. You will soon become captivated by the plucky "That Girl" adventures of the heiress turned streetwise bubble gum songstress (played to perfection by the creamy, otherworldly Illeana Douglas) as she defers her dreams of pop stardom to write some of the biggest hits of the girl (and boy) group era. The ensemble is brilliant, including the lovably domineering John Tuturro as the Svengali-like visionary producer and the pouty, preening ego-maniacal boyfriend and writing partner (Eric Stolz). The rest of the characters are amalgams of many of the legends of 60s pop music our heroine meets on the journey toward finding her own voice. And if any of this seems too familiar, it is loosely based on the amazing life and career of Carole King. In some ways, this is the female bookend to another great, under appreciated movie about pop music of this era, "The Idolmaker." But don't go dismissing this as a "girl's movie," just because it's director Allison Anders is perhaps the finest female auteur in the business. This is a story that crosses sex, age and all other boundaries. For anyone who has ever felt they didn't fit in, who tried to please everyone and played it safe, waiting to follow their own dreams until "the time was right," and then woke up afraid that it was too late ... this is a story for you. And the soundtrack. My God, the soundtrack. Far from parody, slavish recreation or disco-influenced revisionism, Ms. Anders has wisely chosen some of the heavyweights of the era to create pop hits that easily could have been hits on their own merits. The film is chock full of wondrous, alternate universe creations by such composers as Burt Bacharach and King's real-life partner Gerry Goffin, and even one by her daughter Lousie Goffin. This film is a joy from the first frame to the last. More than an homage to an era, it is an important addition to its story. "But what if I can't just write another song?" "Keep your eyes and ears open ... everyone is in pain"

Tweetypez Just wasn't my cup of tea.I didn't care for Ileana Douglas's acting.Also, I think that the time has passed where Hollywood needs to hire an actor that needs to be dubbed. There is so much talent out there who can sing AND act. It just didn't seem well done to me. Sort of like a cheaply made-for-TV movie. I didn't like the strange accent that John Turturro was doing for his character. I've seen other films that depict past years of the music business that I liked better such as "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "Ray" and "What's Love Got to Do with It" I would recommend those to anyone who want to watch a similar premise. Just my opinion.

lastliberal It's Martin Scorsese day. he didn't direct this one, but produced it, and it's a winner. After 3 and a half hours of Bob Dylan, I was enchanted by the songs here. The soundtrack is a real tribute to love in all it's forms and fashions.Writer/Director Allison Anders, who started accumulating award nominations from her first movies (Border Radio; Sugar Town; Gas, Food Lodging) gives us a beautifully flowing story of a singer trying to break into the business, but settling for a career as a songwriter. It featured a lot of singers from the era, including one inspired by Lesley Gore, a favorite of mine, and who helped write songs for the movie.Illeana Douglas (Stir of Echoes, Happy, Texas, Cape Fear) was magnificent as the "Carol King"-inspired lead, as was John Turturro (The Big Lebowski, Fear X) as her manager.If you like the music of the sixties, and you want to see the first time a woman's water breaks on film, then this is it. A good use of your time.

steve-carter i don't expect everyone to love this movie. I do think that while it isn't a masterpiece that it has one of the best story lines ever. I loved it pure and simple for the musical it wanted to be and the drama that it was.best Illeana douglas act i have seen.haven't seen her since goodfellas but i think she did wellhad it been by some large star the movie would have been hugestill im disappointed i'm struggling to find this movie in Aussie format on DVD for my sister this Christmas. she loves the movie.someone suggest another movie to find. or give me details of where to get it in PAL format