Pulling up stakes for a fresh start in Las Vegas, aspiring singer Reese and daughter Emily are looking forward to the future with optimism. But mom's problem drinking and her struggles to pay the bills threaten the pair's plans for a better life. Frequently cast in the role of mothering her own mother, teenage Emily must learn to hold on to hope in this poignant coming-of-age drama.
Acting
Brittany Murphy's raw, pre-stardom vulnerability is devastating.
Direction
De Palma's restraint lets the performances breathe.
Director
Brian J. De Palma
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during Murphy's rapid rise to stardom, this indie role showcases the dramatic depth she'd rarely get to explore in her later studio comedies.
The film's obscurity stems partly from distributor collapse; it barely screened theatrically despite Murphy's growing Clueless fame, making it a time-capsule of what 90s indie cinema lost to market consolidation.
US
