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TUMBLEWEEDS Send This Review to a Friend
Janet McTeer, who makes a dynamic starring American screen debut in the immensely appealing and moving "Tumbleweeds," is partly a force of nature. She is absolutely fascinating as Mary Jo, a Southern mother forever on the move in search of a better life for herself and trying to do right by her rebellious but loving teenage daughter who yearns for stability. Unless they've heard that McTeer is British, audiences will have no clue as to her nationality, so natural and convincing is her Southern speech. Tall and impressive physically, McTeer establishes a breathtakingly dominant screen presence and extracts as much meaning from her body language as she does from the snappy dialogue provided by co-writers Gavin O'connor ( also the director) and Angela Shelton.
The movie-going pleasure is doubled by the acute performance by Kimberly J. Brown as Mary Jo's daughter Ava, who is likable even when she is sassing her mom and ridiculing her wrong choices of men. These compelling characters are two warm and caring individuals, whether life is going well or badly. The film begins on a nasty note, as Mary Jo bitterly fights with her abusive mate and there's a threat of serious violence breaking out. She quickly packs, grabs her daughter, and off they run--once again, part of a pattern. Mary Jo opts for Arizona, but Ava talks her into Starlight Beach, near San Diego.
Mary Jo never passes up an opportunity to be flirtatious when it suits her, as when her car is stalled on a highway en route and Jack (played by director O'Connor), comes to the rescue. Before long mom and daughter have moved in with him. Mary Jo has landed a job in a security company under a demanding boss, played eerily by Michael J. Pollard, and she finds a good friend in a co-worker played ebulliently by Laurel Holloman. Also working there is Dan, a solid, sympathetic and mature man who provides helpful guidance to Ava and is more the sort with whom Mary Jo should get involved, if only she'd realize it. Jay O. Sanders is impressive in the role of Dan, and he succeeds in exhibiting the warm, understanding qualities that make Dan a reliable anchor in the film's plot scheme. There's a lovely scene in which Dan helps put Ava on the right track while revealing his own painful past. Lois Smith stands out in a brief but important performance as the operator of a plant and flower nursery.
Jack and Mary Jo are unsurprisingly ill-suited--each has different needs--and Mary Jo has learned to recognize the potential for violence when she sees it. "Tumbleweeds" is as much about Ava finding herself as about her mother sorting out her life. Discover events for yourself, but much of the film involves a coming-of-age route for Ava in school and with her peers, as well as with her mom.
O'Connor directs with strong trust in the material, which springs from childhood memories of co-writer Shelton and is rich in humor as well as drama. There's always a tangible sense of place, the pacing is careful and without spelling out what the future holds, the film ends on a hopeful note, a welcome finale because by this time we've come to know and enjoy the major characters and have an emotional investment in wishing them well.
Coincidentally, this is the second mother-daughter tale released in November, 1999. The other is "Anywhere But Here." Both films have excellent starring performances, but I much prefer "Tumbleweeds" because the characters are so much more interesting and engrossing. It is a well-made gem of a movie that may leave you thinking about it long after leaving the theater. As for Janet McTeer, who made her mark on the London and Broadway stages in "A Doll's House," the screen has a luminous new star. A Fine Line Features release.
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