In 1976, Elizabeth (Julia Stone), an average suburban
11-year-old, is praying for adolescence to arrive. Her idol is Dolly Parton and she wants to be just like her. To her chagrin, although women's lib is beginning to change the frame of family life, her parents Marion (Macha Grenon) and Phil (Gil Bellows) are typical parents—a stay-at-home mom and a working dad. Marion is resistant to change, even hating the digital clocks that Phil brings home. When Elizabeth realizes she was adopted, she decides to find her real mother.
The little girl gets dressed up just like her idol and runs away, with Marion in pursuit. What ensues is a cross-country trek by a mother searching for a daughter
who is searching for a mother—both of them really searching for themselves.
I thought this film was very charming and moving. Although I am very, very much older now, it all came flooding back....all the longing and angst that comes with a young girl's awakening. I also loved the attention to period detail without its being the story. I think the young lead has an amazing acting career ahead of her and most of all, I appreciated watching a simple, yet complex, story about life. I've been going to too many stylised, "done" in post-production movies lately, I think!
Poor and very low grade movie. I only gave this movie a two star rating. I love Dolly Parton but this movie sucks large.