• Starring: Felicity Huffman, Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan
  • Summary: Three generations of top actresses unite in a film from director Garry Marshall about the power of redemption, freedom in forgiveness and unbreakable bonds of motherhood. (Universal)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 29
  2. Negative: 18 out of 29
  1. The American public likes nothing better than a tragedy with a happy ending, William Dean Howells observed. But Marshall so cautiously downplays the tragic elements of his plot that the sweetness and light left a sour taste in my mouth.
  2. A clunky family-therapy soaper.
  3. Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    38
    Spin it however they like, the troubled but talented Lohan isn't what's wrong with this misbegotten mess.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 19
  3. Negative: 10 out of 19
  1. JS.
    10
    This was a fantastic movie. Do not believe all of this negative hype. It all comes from people expecting the wrong kind of movie. They marketed this as a comedy and while there are funny parts its very dramatic. THIS IS A MUST SEE. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. Rev.Rikard
    3
    A poor attempt at creating an updated "Ordinary People" style film. However in the Mary Tyler Moore/ Timothy Hutton classic the truth begging for its day in court was not shrouded in a murky story with unbelievable, wooden characters engaged in conversations spiced with stale "American Pie" slices of adolescent humor. Consequently, so many interactions in this film are tasteless. Conrad, Hutton's character in Ordinary People, was not only so believable the audience could identify with his tormented scream for truth to rear its liberating head, we easily recognized that truth. We were mesmerized by its destructive power to slither its way in and through the lives of the entire family. Truth hidden is no longer truth; it is repressed torment. We joined Conrad in pleading for truth to move from the shadows of repressed pain and liberate him. His honest interaction with his therapist revealed conversations that could find expression in the life of every viewer. In Georgia Rule the truth is a tease. "So that's the truth; no, that's the truth!" This is the mental and emotional exercise invoked by this film. This technique works in great mysteries. However, rather than offer us dialogues of substance, Lohan's character attempts to shock everyone with sophomoric sex-sated insults that are intended to shock everyone out of denial. At some point we no longer care about Lohan's character. She is not only a recognizable character from any teen sex movie, she is so unlike most of us we cannot know her. The ultimate insult lies in the fact that the truth lurking beneath this tangle of dysfunctional characters is a serious social/family issue. Toying with an issue laden with horrific pain angered me, and I am sure many viewers. When at last the moment of epiphany comes, we are not sure what has been accomplished, and what this film has said about repressed truth and family life. In Ordinary People, the moment of epiphany was touching and haunting. The great rule in Georgia Rule should be to avoid this formula if one wants to make a relevant film about a serious family issues that impacts culture. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. This one freaked me out. Especially Lindsay Lohan trying to show her stuff... ew. There were a lot of weird moments, and I don't know why I even sat through the whole thing. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 19 User Reviews

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