The Russell Girl--A Movie Review

Title: The Russell Girl
Starring: Amber Tamblyn, Tim DeKay, Jennifer Ehle, Henry Czerny, Mary Mastrantonio, Paul Wesley
Release Date: 2008
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

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Human beings can blame themselves for events of the past. Whether or not it is your fault, you still think you are the cause of all the problems people have suffered. You let this mindset control you present and most definitely the future; you also don't let go off the past. You let it haunt you  with every step you take in the opposite direction. Sarah Russell (Amber Tamblyn) is such a person.



Sarah didn't have much worth living for. She was living what some would perceive as a glamorous life--a buyer for Macy's--but she doesn't have much of a social life. She doesn't have much communication with her family, by her own choosing. Because of an event that transpired years ago, Sarah feels as if reconciliation, hope, and a future were not "in the cards" for her. However, a visit to the doctor and a diagnosis of leukemia forces Sarah home. And home is the last place she wants to be, no matter how happy her parents (played by DeKay and Mastrantonio) might be.

Lorianne Morrissey (Jennifer Ehle) doesn't want "the Russell girl" home either. Her depression had been kept in check, much to the happiness of her husband (played by Henry Czerny) and her sons. But just seeing a glimpse of Sarah across the street causes all of the memories to come rushing back. The hatred comes back, the anger comes back, the depression returns tenfold. She still blames Sarah for a tragic event years ago and she will not let it go.

These two broken women have people in their corner who want the past to be that--the past. Sarah has her ex-boyfriend, Daniel (Paul Wesley) who still loves her after all this time. Lorianne has a son who wants nothing more than for his mother to express interest in him and attend his high school graduation. However, in order for things to be reconciled, it won't be others who bring Sarah and Lorianne together. It will be the two women on their own--and it might be painful and eye opening in the process.

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Rissi is my Hallmark buddy (or so I have dubbed her in my head.) Up until I read her review, I had never even heard of this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. I tend to perk up when I hear HHoF; I know the cast, the script, the plot itself might be better than those films just produced under the "Hallmark" label. The first thing that stood out to me was the cast. You've got a guy from "White Collar" and a guy from "Vampire Diaries." You have Elizabeth Bennett and Martha Masters from "HOUSE." Then you have Henry Czerny--a conniving scumbag in "The Tudors" and the evil, lying patriarch in "Revenge." Like I said, it was an incredible cast. I especially loved seeing Czerny and DeKay playing loving family men; the former was a pleasant surprise in The Russell Girl. And yes, I was thrown by Jennifer Ehle being blonde and not have a British accent like my favorite literary heroine ;-)

The script and plot spoke of deeper themes than what Hallmark usually touches on. The tragedy that transpires in the film isn't one often used for the family channel, as it can be depressing. It IS depressing but at the same time, it is realistic. Bad things happen in life; we blame ourselves for them. We blame other people as well; it turns us into people others don't want to be around. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel--if we are willing to walk towards it. Sarah learns an important lesson in that family is always willing to come alongside you, even when you don't think you deserve their love. That is what families do; that is what God does. They love us in the midst of our ugly moments.

I will spoil something for you right now: the ending is ambiguous. I wish it had been "wrapped up with a shiny bow" when the credits rolled. It wasn't. I was left to make my own assumptions about the general ending. Being a romantic who wants everyone being happy, I know how the movie ended. *Wink*

That is the beauty of film. We can imagine our own stories while at the same time, we learn deeper, life truths. The Russell Girl has something for everyone to be reminded of. Let me know what stood out to you when you see it.