Kathy Bates and Edward Furlong were great. The story flowed and at times was a tear jerker. One couldn't help but root for the family and their drive to have a home called their own. One mother's desire to hold her family together at all costs. Not an Oscar winner, but a real down to earth humanistic story all can relate to. A MUST SEE.
36 Reviews
As Close to Home as it Gets
nabor79 May 2005
This movie was as close to home as it gets. We were not as poor as the Lacey's, but some of our Christmas's were skimpy. I particularly thought the casting was good and the plot line was very believable. When my grandparents first got indoor plumbing, the whole family gathered at their house to celebrate. No more long cold trips during winter! I imagine that most people who watched this movie was critiquing the character development and other mundane points, but anyone who has been lacking the common necessities was looking at this in a far different light. At first I thought more interaction with between Murray and the junkyard owner would have helped, then I realized that this was about Frances and her struggle to provide for her children. Some of the kids characters were never developed but it didn't matter. They were shown to be suffering during the bad times and enjoying the good times. I want to watch it again to see what I missed.
"When you're really really poor, everything you see is something you can't have. "
PudgyPandaMan29 August 2008
This is a heart wrenching tale about a single mom trying her best to provide for her family. Kathy Bates is outstanding in her portrayal of a hard scrabble mom, down on her luck, who tries to start over and provide a home for her kids. I can't say enough about her performance.
This family goes through some really difficult times, so this isn't necessarily a feel good movie, although there are some inspiring moments. Just when you think things can't get any worse for this family, it does. My heart just broke.
I think this movie does a great job if it causes us to take better notice of those around us who are in need - and do what we can to help them. It becomes difficult, if you run into a women like portrayed here, that is too proud to accept "handouts". But this movie is also inspiring in that it is a great example of the determination of the human spirit and what someone can do in this country if they make up their mind to be somebody and provide a better life for their children.
This family goes through some really difficult times, so this isn't necessarily a feel good movie, although there are some inspiring moments. Just when you think things can't get any worse for this family, it does. My heart just broke.
I think this movie does a great job if it causes us to take better notice of those around us who are in need - and do what we can to help them. It becomes difficult, if you run into a women like portrayed here, that is too proud to accept "handouts". But this movie is also inspiring in that it is a great example of the determination of the human spirit and what someone can do in this country if they make up their mind to be somebody and provide a better life for their children.
I lived it!
yogasuz27 August 2004
I know a lot of folks talked about this movie being so heartwrenching, and at time a tear jerker, but this movie is as close to my childhood as I can imagine. We weren't quite as poor, but I really grew up in a half-finished house and we were pretty tight on money. We never finished our house, but my mom sent three kids to damn good colleges and private schools while supporting us on a teacher's salary.
And Kathy Bates nailed it just right. I think that this movie portrays a lot of things about people who are struggling to get by, and it does it in a way that is very evenly balanced. I mean, her character is mostly sympathetic, but she shuts people out too. She's proud to a fault. She wants so much to do it all on her own, that she doesn't seem to realize just how much help she needs. That sense that she is all alone in it; that's how we felt. I'm sure that's how my parents felt. I liked how she found friends who knew how to handle her pride and still help her.
I loved this movie but it is hard for me to watch!
I never got nails for Christmas, though!
I think the bit about the disclaimer that this is all fiction is just the standard CYA language the lawyers put in at the end of every movie. There's lots of novels that are "fiction" that are true.
And Kathy Bates nailed it just right. I think that this movie portrays a lot of things about people who are struggling to get by, and it does it in a way that is very evenly balanced. I mean, her character is mostly sympathetic, but she shuts people out too. She's proud to a fault. She wants so much to do it all on her own, that she doesn't seem to realize just how much help she needs. That sense that she is all alone in it; that's how we felt. I'm sure that's how my parents felt. I liked how she found friends who knew how to handle her pride and still help her.
I loved this movie but it is hard for me to watch!
I never got nails for Christmas, though!
I think the bit about the disclaimer that this is all fiction is just the standard CYA language the lawyers put in at the end of every movie. There's lots of novels that are "fiction" that are true.
Leaving L.A.
jotix10011 July 2005
"A Home of our Own" is a film that shows the struggle of a poor woman with six children who has had it with her life in Los Angeles. When she loses her menial job, she decides to pack it and move on. We saw this film when it first came out, but watched it again when it showed on cable the other night. The film was directed by Tony Bill.
The best thing going for the movie is Kathy Bates. As the determined and strong Frances Lacey, she does amazing work. Ms. Bates, one of our best character actresses, is a joy in the film. One thing that comes clear is her love for her children and her determination to get ahead. By relocating in a remote area of Idaho, her gamble pays off. Not only is she able to succeed in getting her own home, thanks to the kind Japanese man who owns the land, but she gives the children a positive lesson on how to be somebody and to struggle for what they want. Edward Furlong, as Shayne, also makes a great contribution to the film.
Watch it because the heart warming story.
The best thing going for the movie is Kathy Bates. As the determined and strong Frances Lacey, she does amazing work. Ms. Bates, one of our best character actresses, is a joy in the film. One thing that comes clear is her love for her children and her determination to get ahead. By relocating in a remote area of Idaho, her gamble pays off. Not only is she able to succeed in getting her own home, thanks to the kind Japanese man who owns the land, but she gives the children a positive lesson on how to be somebody and to struggle for what they want. Edward Furlong, as Shayne, also makes a great contribution to the film.
Watch it because the heart warming story.
Is it a True Story or Not?
bighitch806 March 2023
It is not. Some other reviews here state that this is a true story, but it isn't.
At the beginning of the movie the narrator states that this is a true story, that it really happened to him. The that is just the dialog of the character within this fictional story.
At the end of the closing credits is a disclaimer that the story is fictional and and similarities between real people or real occurrences are purely fictional.
Another error I found on this IMDB page is in the list of cast members. The credits at the end of the film list Melvin Ward as the actor who portrays Father Tomlin. The image accompanying Melvin Ward shows him as a black man, but the actor portraying Father Tomlin clearly is white. So whoever provided the information has the wrong Melvin Ward.
The Mevin Ward listed on IMDB's cast page was born in 1983, and, obviously, the white Melvin Ward who plays Father Tomlin is WAY BEYOND ten years old.
At the beginning of the movie the narrator states that this is a true story, that it really happened to him. The that is just the dialog of the character within this fictional story.
At the end of the closing credits is a disclaimer that the story is fictional and and similarities between real people or real occurrences are purely fictional.
Another error I found on this IMDB page is in the list of cast members. The credits at the end of the film list Melvin Ward as the actor who portrays Father Tomlin. The image accompanying Melvin Ward shows him as a black man, but the actor portraying Father Tomlin clearly is white. So whoever provided the information has the wrong Melvin Ward.
The Mevin Ward listed on IMDB's cast page was born in 1983, and, obviously, the white Melvin Ward who plays Father Tomlin is WAY BEYOND ten years old.
Slight, trite, but saved from mediocrity by good performances
nightwishouge3 June 2022
One of the benefits of watching old Siskel and Ebert episodes on YouTube is re-discovering old movies that have mostly been forgotten. Both Siskel and Ebert gave A Home of Our Own a marginal recommendation and a lukewarm review, calling it a "movie of the week" and noting that good performances elevate a hokey script. After watching it, I have to say I agree.
Kathy Bates is, of course, great as a single mother of six children. That's no surprise; Kathy Bates is always great. I was impressed by the maturity of Edward Furlong's performance, having found him kind of whiny and overblown in Terminator 2. He plays the oldest of the kids, asked to be the Man of the House since their father is dead, and he steps up to the challenge while still resenting the unfair responsibility. His mother, who is stubborn and turns away charity even when it means she can't give her children a joyful Christmas, tells him that life isn't fair, as a matter of fact it's often pretty rotten, but it isn't going to change. She doesn't mean this as an apology.
Soon-Tek Oh is a warm presence as Mr. "Moon", the neighbor/landlord who owns the land and the unfinished house of the title. He agrees to let the Lacey "tribe" live there in exchange for labor, and grows attached to them. His life has been a lonely one of late, and perhaps community is more important than money.
The biggest letdown is the script. You sense every story beat a mile away, and my girlfriend correctly foresaw the film's ending from the moment Mrs. Lacey pulls up on Mr. Moon's property. She starts dating her new boss at the bowling alley; you know how that will end. Kids working unsupervised with tools? Gee, I hope nobody gets hurt. It's not exactly formula, but it's standard. There's also a redundant voice over that tells you little more than what you already see on screen.
The early '90s was full of stellar humanistic small-town stories like Fried Green Tomatoes and What's Eating Gilbert Grape? By those standards, A Home of Our Own doesn't quite measure up. But given its ambitions (which are pretty low), it's effective. Familiar, but not contrived. One of those "nice" movies Mom always wanted to rent on family movie night.
Kathy Bates is, of course, great as a single mother of six children. That's no surprise; Kathy Bates is always great. I was impressed by the maturity of Edward Furlong's performance, having found him kind of whiny and overblown in Terminator 2. He plays the oldest of the kids, asked to be the Man of the House since their father is dead, and he steps up to the challenge while still resenting the unfair responsibility. His mother, who is stubborn and turns away charity even when it means she can't give her children a joyful Christmas, tells him that life isn't fair, as a matter of fact it's often pretty rotten, but it isn't going to change. She doesn't mean this as an apology.
Soon-Tek Oh is a warm presence as Mr. "Moon", the neighbor/landlord who owns the land and the unfinished house of the title. He agrees to let the Lacey "tribe" live there in exchange for labor, and grows attached to them. His life has been a lonely one of late, and perhaps community is more important than money.
The biggest letdown is the script. You sense every story beat a mile away, and my girlfriend correctly foresaw the film's ending from the moment Mrs. Lacey pulls up on Mr. Moon's property. She starts dating her new boss at the bowling alley; you know how that will end. Kids working unsupervised with tools? Gee, I hope nobody gets hurt. It's not exactly formula, but it's standard. There's also a redundant voice over that tells you little more than what you already see on screen.
The early '90s was full of stellar humanistic small-town stories like Fried Green Tomatoes and What's Eating Gilbert Grape? By those standards, A Home of Our Own doesn't quite measure up. But given its ambitions (which are pretty low), it's effective. Familiar, but not contrived. One of those "nice" movies Mom always wanted to rent on family movie night.
A VERY HEART WARMING FILM ABOUT GOOD LIVING!!
whpratt122 July 2003
Kathy Bates(Frances Lacey)also "Misery'90), performed outstanding acting skills as a wonderful mother who just plain loved her children more than herself and was able to warm the hearts of many people she encountered, especially, Soo-Tek-Oho who owned a broken down shack and a few acres of land, which turned out to be a great Mansion for her children Edward Furlong(Shayne Lacey),"Three Blind Mice " Clarissa Lassig(Lynn Lacey) and a few more children. This film will warm your heart and soul and will definitely make you shed a tear or two. We need more picture of this caliber, which is a true story and down to earth and REAL!!
A homeless family gradually builds a home from a foundation and house frame.
estherwalker-3471014 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Well, I couldn't leave the most recent review with a rating of 1. Yes, the story has some big reality problems, but it also has it's virtues. There is conflicting evidence as to whether this unlikely story is based upon a true story. In any case, one reviewer related that he/she grew up in a rather similar situation, although not quite as poor.
Widow Mrs. Frances Lacey(Kathy Bates) unfortunately neglected to use a contraceptive device(perhaps because her Irish Catholic husband, whom she is always badmouthing, forbade it?) To be fare, since this is supposed to be in the early '60s, 'the pill' had just recently been made public, and the copper IUD hadn't yet been made available to the public. In any case, she is now a single mother with 6 hungry mouths to feed,. She loses her LA factory job because she socked her boss for making inappropriate suggestive touches to her body. She doesn't want to be regarded as a floozy, as she again demonstrated later in the film. For some reason, Mrs. Lacey forsook sunny southern California for faraway Idaho, with it's very cold, snowy, winters, her kids more than filling her small, old, car. Forget about seat belts! For an equally strange reason, she adopted a house frame as the new abode for her family! The very kind Japanese owner: Mr. Munimura(Soon-Tek Oh) let her have it, as it was supposed to be a house for his son, who died before it was finished. Mr. Munimura will continue to be helpful to this desperate family throughout the film. In fact, I predicted that eventually he and Mrs. Facey would marry. I was wrong, at least, within the confines of the story. Nonetheless, by the end of the film, he had practically become one of the family.
I have to wonder where Child Welfare was hiding out? Mrs. Lacey seemed to think that she and her 2 oldest boys had to support the rest, while gradually improving their shelter, with minimal help from others. I didn't see a well, so where did they get their water from?? They would have to have somebody put in an electricity system. But, they were broke! The roof frame was there, but no roof. So, they got some thin-looking cloth-like material to cover the roof. How was this supposed to support some inches of snow, and keep in the heat?? How was their little junked wood stove supposed to keep them from freezing in this leaky house?
A major crisis occurs when her half-grown son decides to pour some gasoline on their outhouse, no longer needed, since they now have a toilet, and burn it down. Yes, kids sometimes do crazy things! The wood could have been used to fuel their stove. Much, much, worse, some big embers are carried to their cloth roof, setting it on fire. In fact, eventually, the whole house burns to the ground, and in the midst of winter! So, where did the family shelter now?? The story can't end like this!! There is a silver lining to this dark cloud. Someone organizes a group of community men, including Mr. Munimura, to bring parts of a prefab house to set on the foundation. Mr. Munimura had previously offered to sponsor such, but Mrs. Lacey stubbornly refused. Now, she was forced to accept this.
The point of the film is: If people in bad straights concentrate on doing the best they can to survive in the immediate, good things may eventually happen to them.
Incidentally, Soon-Tek Oh was born in Korea, when it was under the administration of Japan, before emigrating to the US. He had long played various East Asians: in this case a Japanese. .......Kathy Bates has had a long history in films.
Widow Mrs. Frances Lacey(Kathy Bates) unfortunately neglected to use a contraceptive device(perhaps because her Irish Catholic husband, whom she is always badmouthing, forbade it?) To be fare, since this is supposed to be in the early '60s, 'the pill' had just recently been made public, and the copper IUD hadn't yet been made available to the public. In any case, she is now a single mother with 6 hungry mouths to feed,. She loses her LA factory job because she socked her boss for making inappropriate suggestive touches to her body. She doesn't want to be regarded as a floozy, as she again demonstrated later in the film. For some reason, Mrs. Lacey forsook sunny southern California for faraway Idaho, with it's very cold, snowy, winters, her kids more than filling her small, old, car. Forget about seat belts! For an equally strange reason, she adopted a house frame as the new abode for her family! The very kind Japanese owner: Mr. Munimura(Soon-Tek Oh) let her have it, as it was supposed to be a house for his son, who died before it was finished. Mr. Munimura will continue to be helpful to this desperate family throughout the film. In fact, I predicted that eventually he and Mrs. Facey would marry. I was wrong, at least, within the confines of the story. Nonetheless, by the end of the film, he had practically become one of the family.
I have to wonder where Child Welfare was hiding out? Mrs. Lacey seemed to think that she and her 2 oldest boys had to support the rest, while gradually improving their shelter, with minimal help from others. I didn't see a well, so where did they get their water from?? They would have to have somebody put in an electricity system. But, they were broke! The roof frame was there, but no roof. So, they got some thin-looking cloth-like material to cover the roof. How was this supposed to support some inches of snow, and keep in the heat?? How was their little junked wood stove supposed to keep them from freezing in this leaky house?
A major crisis occurs when her half-grown son decides to pour some gasoline on their outhouse, no longer needed, since they now have a toilet, and burn it down. Yes, kids sometimes do crazy things! The wood could have been used to fuel their stove. Much, much, worse, some big embers are carried to their cloth roof, setting it on fire. In fact, eventually, the whole house burns to the ground, and in the midst of winter! So, where did the family shelter now?? The story can't end like this!! There is a silver lining to this dark cloud. Someone organizes a group of community men, including Mr. Munimura, to bring parts of a prefab house to set on the foundation. Mr. Munimura had previously offered to sponsor such, but Mrs. Lacey stubbornly refused. Now, she was forced to accept this.
The point of the film is: If people in bad straights concentrate on doing the best they can to survive in the immediate, good things may eventually happen to them.
Incidentally, Soon-Tek Oh was born in Korea, when it was under the administration of Japan, before emigrating to the US. He had long played various East Asians: in this case a Japanese. .......Kathy Bates has had a long history in films.
One of the Best Films I've Seen in a Very Long Time
spiderdancer130 April 2005
As usual, Kathy Bates is outstanding in her performance.
There aren't many movies that get to me emotionally, but this one sure did. I found myself identifying with more than one character: As a single mother, it wasn't hard at all to relate to Frances' struggles. As a former willful but loving teenager, I sympathized a lot with Shane, too.
I felt myself sharing the family's joys, struggles and disappointments, and learned a few things along the way. Sometimes it's true that pride goeth before a fall.
A very believable plot and great acting throughout, this is a must-see movie.
There aren't many movies that get to me emotionally, but this one sure did. I found myself identifying with more than one character: As a single mother, it wasn't hard at all to relate to Frances' struggles. As a former willful but loving teenager, I sympathized a lot with Shane, too.
I felt myself sharing the family's joys, struggles and disappointments, and learned a few things along the way. Sometimes it's true that pride goeth before a fall.
A very believable plot and great acting throughout, this is a must-see movie.
The Importance of Community
blissey_s6 January 2024
Kathy Bates delivers another powerhouse performance in this sweet story about a family who seem perpertually down on their luck. Kathy's temper seems unmatched, and everyone who is unfortunate to be in the path of one of her rages seems to surrender by default. To my recollection I have not seen another actress who is able to channel that much fury and genuinely be terrifying.
I thought this movie was delivered in such a charming way. There is a magic to the family dynamics and the children they picked for the roles are really perfect. Mr. Moon should also be mentioned for his role as the charitable neighbour who blesses the family benevolently with the 3 acres of land and the existing shack that stands on it.
The theme that I took away from this movie is the importance of community, and how even those without anything can receive so much if they are well connected. There are also other themes, of course, like being grateful for the gifts you do have in spite of what appears to be a bleak situation.
I think where this movie shines most is delivering a wholesome, fully fleshed out story with believable relationships, raw emotion and lessons to takeaway. Where it falters is in its simplicity and lack of really dark moments that would take it up a notch.
I thought this movie was delivered in such a charming way. There is a magic to the family dynamics and the children they picked for the roles are really perfect. Mr. Moon should also be mentioned for his role as the charitable neighbour who blesses the family benevolently with the 3 acres of land and the existing shack that stands on it.
The theme that I took away from this movie is the importance of community, and how even those without anything can receive so much if they are well connected. There are also other themes, of course, like being grateful for the gifts you do have in spite of what appears to be a bleak situation.
I think where this movie shines most is delivering a wholesome, fully fleshed out story with believable relationships, raw emotion and lessons to takeaway. Where it falters is in its simplicity and lack of really dark moments that would take it up a notch.
Single mom faces obstacles to establish permanent home for her family
crowbar-223 April 1999
An excellent performance by the entire cast. Kathy Bates as a single mother facing the many odds that seem to conspire to prevent her from making a home for her family. Especially memorable was the Christmas morning scene.
growing up poor.
ksf-23 June 2022
When mom (kathy bates) loses her job, she moves the family of six kids to oregon. And somehow manages to corral a house, with just promises of labor. Stories of a family growing up poor, out in the country. Co-stars ed furlong and soon tek oh. The trials and tribulations of barely getting by, but with honesty and hard work from the whole family. It's good ! It feels like someone's own childhood story, growing up on the fringes. No twists or surprises here, just someone's own story about having to be a kid, as well as the man of the house. Directed by tony bill. Story by patrick duncan.
Bates is a tower of strength, but film plays like a "Waltons" rerun...
moonspinner5527 May 2006
Feisty, fearless Kathy Bates portrays a widow with six kids struggling to give her family a decent life in 1962 Idaho. Well-intentioned family film is hurt overall by a corny narration, episodic story structure and plot contrivances. The performances, however, are quite strong, particularly by Edward Furlong as the eldest of Bates' children. Tony Bill directed with compassion (he is a sentimentalist at heart), although many of his big scenes go from gritty to gooey in record time. "A Home of Our own" isn't very memorable--it's rather like an episode of "The Waltons" that passes the time painlessly--and Kathy Bates does more for the picture than it does for her. Still, "Home" is a decent film with its heart in the right place. ** from ****
Better than I expected
TC-421 February 2000
My wife is usually the only one in my family that will watch this type of movie. We call it a "mother's movie". But she got me at a weak moment and I watched it and I liked it a lot. I think that it was certainly Kathy Bates and Soon-Tek-Oh that kept it going. At the beginning the narrator states that it is a true story. I watched it with the thought that this was something that actually did happen. At the end of the credits it says that the above story is ficticious etc. with that usual speel. Now I don't know what to believe. Was it real or just made up. I wish I could find out the truth.
Kathy Bates is the best female actress in the world!!!
thrillerrayne24 September 2014
This woman keeps churning awesome movie after awesome movie. It's just so unbelievable. In this movie she plays Frances Lacey. A mother of 6. After being fired from a job in a chips factory. She decides to take her family out of her broken down studio apartment, and move them to a better home. I'm not going to spoil anymore to you because this movie teaches you about patience better than any cliché you can find in a cookie at your local Chinese restaurant. Everybody in this movie was absolutely amazing. Edward Furlong(who you might know from Terminator 2) plays her eldest son and he plays a trouble teenager better than most around this era of film making. It's so sad knowing his peak is far behind him. Indeed a very underrated actor. So overall i give this movie a 10/10. I don't usually give a 10 out unless something is done spot on. And this was it. There wasn't a dull moment here, everything connected beautifully and was so real that i got lost in the characters story.
Kleenex time!
nymoosi3 September 2001
The first reviewer took the words right out of my mind. This movie was so good, I had to watch it twice to see what I missed. So many movies out there that deal with nonsense. This one touches your heart. I'll admit I didn't want to see the movie because of Kathy Bates but this movie changed my opinion about her. I was disappointed that the movie had an open-ending but was satisfied that they family was going to be alright. One thing though... The narrator's voice and Edward Furlong's does not resemble one another. I have changed my own rating system..... Out of 10 stars, I give "A Home of Our Own" 6 1/2. Get the box of Kleenex!
A great family movie. A must see for everyone!!!!!
jvegasg20 November 2005
Wonderful!!!! This movie has lots of heart. One of the best movies I have ever seen. I don't understand the other person's comment. He must not know too much about love and determination. This movie shows about the love and caring of a single woman and her kids trying to find a home of their own. It shows how working together can bring a family close, even if they don't have a lot. And, how people come together in a crisis. Love, this movie. I highly recommend it. I live in Idaho, and it is beautiful!! I think this is one of Kathy Bates best movies. Her strength and determination for her family to overcome all the obstacles in this movie to make a home so that all of them can live is tremendous. Please rent this movie. It is a must see for the entire family.
A Heartburning Saga
deltaco-158-8244189 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Patrick Sheane Duncan's screenplay for MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS got a little cheesy or saccharine at times. But there was enough grit in every scene to make it believable. The script of A HOME OF OUR OWN ladles on the Velveeta and Karo Syrup to the point where you'll smack your head in every scene.
Kathy Bates is a single mom with six kids. She pours abuse on her absent husband every time she refers to him (but never by name). He abandoned her, you assume.
D'OH!!! He died. And she loved him desperately. M. Night Shyamalan couldn't have done that twist more cringefully.
Bates is working in a potato chip factory where a boss grabs her butt. She beats him up, then slugs his boss (who tries to break it up) for good measure. HOLY PLOT DEVICE, BATMAN!!! Bates loses her job. Better leave LA and drive to Idaho to start a new life.
Bates tells eldest son Ed Furlong that she wants to find a nice home to raise her kids, and she'll know the right place when she sees it.
She finds an a half-finished shack with no roof or windows (holes in the walls). She'll take it!!
Yes, of course they live comfortably. In a shack with canvas tied over the rafters. In Idaho. In winter.
No, nobody from Child Welfare tries to take the kids away. Yes, Bates manages to feed seven people on her earnings as a waitress in a bowling alley in BFE. No, Bates won't apply for relief-- or even take donations from the local priest. Yes, she reams him out every time she sees him.
It's like Performance Art; I kept watching to see how high the movie would stack the stoopid. Other than Furlong, only one of the moppets gets to be a person. Second son-- who has to sit next to Mom in the outhouse in one memorable scene-- gets a job at a junkyard so he can buy the family a toilet with his wages.
When he finally gets it hooked up, he decides to celebrate by burning down the outhouse. And remember that tarp serving as the roof?
You can guess the rest. But don't worry-- the neighbors show how much they love the plucky "Lacey Tribe" in the last scene.
DIrector Stephen Herek saved HOLLAND from excess by pulling back hard on the reins in many scenes. This movie goes down because Director Tony Bill keeps asking viewers "Would you like Kool Whip and Bacos on your Cheez Whiz?" in every scene.
Bates, who refuses to play even remotely likable (think Lewis Black with boobs) helps. Furlong tries, but the narration by his future self is just too much freight to carry. Jean Lepine's photography is pretty; Michael Covertino's portentous score drenches the film in deeply meaningful strings.
Yes, you could call this a "feel good" movie. It made me feel good about how good Robert Benton's PLACES IN THE HEART is.
Unless you're willing to mock it-- or willing to clutch every manipulation to your breast-- this is a "Straight to Lifetime Movie Network" deal.
Kathy Bates is a single mom with six kids. She pours abuse on her absent husband every time she refers to him (but never by name). He abandoned her, you assume.
D'OH!!! He died. And she loved him desperately. M. Night Shyamalan couldn't have done that twist more cringefully.
Bates is working in a potato chip factory where a boss grabs her butt. She beats him up, then slugs his boss (who tries to break it up) for good measure. HOLY PLOT DEVICE, BATMAN!!! Bates loses her job. Better leave LA and drive to Idaho to start a new life.
Bates tells eldest son Ed Furlong that she wants to find a nice home to raise her kids, and she'll know the right place when she sees it.
She finds an a half-finished shack with no roof or windows (holes in the walls). She'll take it!!
Yes, of course they live comfortably. In a shack with canvas tied over the rafters. In Idaho. In winter.
No, nobody from Child Welfare tries to take the kids away. Yes, Bates manages to feed seven people on her earnings as a waitress in a bowling alley in BFE. No, Bates won't apply for relief-- or even take donations from the local priest. Yes, she reams him out every time she sees him.
It's like Performance Art; I kept watching to see how high the movie would stack the stoopid. Other than Furlong, only one of the moppets gets to be a person. Second son-- who has to sit next to Mom in the outhouse in one memorable scene-- gets a job at a junkyard so he can buy the family a toilet with his wages.
When he finally gets it hooked up, he decides to celebrate by burning down the outhouse. And remember that tarp serving as the roof?
You can guess the rest. But don't worry-- the neighbors show how much they love the plucky "Lacey Tribe" in the last scene.
DIrector Stephen Herek saved HOLLAND from excess by pulling back hard on the reins in many scenes. This movie goes down because Director Tony Bill keeps asking viewers "Would you like Kool Whip and Bacos on your Cheez Whiz?" in every scene.
Bates, who refuses to play even remotely likable (think Lewis Black with boobs) helps. Furlong tries, but the narration by his future self is just too much freight to carry. Jean Lepine's photography is pretty; Michael Covertino's portentous score drenches the film in deeply meaningful strings.
Yes, you could call this a "feel good" movie. It made me feel good about how good Robert Benton's PLACES IN THE HEART is.
Unless you're willing to mock it-- or willing to clutch every manipulation to your breast-- this is a "Straight to Lifetime Movie Network" deal.
A few Words
YVCC324 August 2004
I would like to say that today was the second time I have seen this movie on Television AND I LOVE IT!!! This movie is very exact with the times 60's and very heart felt... I was overwhelmed at times with emotion... So, If you are a women watching this movie for the first time be prepared to Cry, Laugh, & sometimes flintch...The Mother is a very prideful person that has a lot of hopes and dreams and that sometimes get's in the way of her children's lives... This is also a story of Courage, Hope, And family Values... I recommend this movie to anyone who has ever thought they could not make it on there own raising children.
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!
wonderful film I just saw!
pattykathman12 October 2010
I just saw this film by accident on television and could not stop watching, like reading a great book. It follows no formula and I could not stop watching to see what would happen next. I do want to say one thing about the first person who reviewed the film and generally said positive things about it except that the narration of the film by the boy did not match up with his voice in the film. How did you miss that the reason for this is, when he is narrating the movie it is a memory and he is now an adult man and not the young teenager we see in the film, which is his memory. So of course two different actors would portray the role, one on camera as teenager and another as an adult man looking back on his life who narrated the film.
One of the best movies
ggmen22 August 2019
Life lesson
gailcampbell-7396018 January 2021
This is a great movie based on a true story. It shows how hard life was for a single woman in the not so distant past. She was hard working & resilient but so were the children. You can watch this with the whole family & it will be a great way to show your kids how lucky they are. It also shows how much a bit of kindness can impact the lives of others.
It doesn't matter to me if a movie is not technically perfect. We seem to have a lot of people who come here trying to show off their critical skills. This site is not an audition for a job. If you have a heart you will love this story.
Not Silver Screen-Worthy
view_and_review22 February 2024
"A Home of Our Own" was an autoplay that came on after "Curly Sue." I thought that it was in the same vein as "Curly Sue" so maybe it would be as good or at least the same kind of movie.
It was neither.
It starred Kathy Bates as Frances Lacey, a struggling single mother of six. I thought that a movie with Kathy Bates in it was sure to be a quality film.
I was wrong.
It was a very generic movie about struggling to survive with next to nothing. Co-starring in the movie was Edward Furlong as her eldest son, Shayne Lacey. Edward Furlong is not a plus in any movie, but his presence wasn't the problem. The problem was, while it was a feel good story, it was hardly silver screen worthy. It was a Hallmark movie at best.
The movie takes place in 1962. After Frances was wrongfully terminated for roughing up a guy who sexually harassed her at work, she packed up her entire family in her '48 Plymouth and headed northeast from Los Angeles. They landed in Hankston, Idaho where she found a rundown old shack and made it their home. She and the kids would labor over that house the rest of the movie while the selfish and borderline abusive Frances tried to make things work with toughness and pride.
Was it a nice story? Yes. Was it compelling? Not really.
Free on Tubi.
It was neither.
It starred Kathy Bates as Frances Lacey, a struggling single mother of six. I thought that a movie with Kathy Bates in it was sure to be a quality film.
I was wrong.
It was a very generic movie about struggling to survive with next to nothing. Co-starring in the movie was Edward Furlong as her eldest son, Shayne Lacey. Edward Furlong is not a plus in any movie, but his presence wasn't the problem. The problem was, while it was a feel good story, it was hardly silver screen worthy. It was a Hallmark movie at best.
The movie takes place in 1962. After Frances was wrongfully terminated for roughing up a guy who sexually harassed her at work, she packed up her entire family in her '48 Plymouth and headed northeast from Los Angeles. They landed in Hankston, Idaho where she found a rundown old shack and made it their home. She and the kids would labor over that house the rest of the movie while the selfish and borderline abusive Frances tried to make things work with toughness and pride.
Was it a nice story? Yes. Was it compelling? Not really.
Free on Tubi.
gripping story of the ups and (mostly) downs of real life
Aimee Natal18 April 2000
The narrator of this story is supposedly the 13 year old, oldest son of the family the film is about, and he starts out by saying it's all true. Kathy Bates plays Mrs. Lacey, the mother to 5 children, the widow of an Irish Catholic SOB, as she repeatedly refers to him. They're poor, and on a lurch, pack up and leave their dumpy apartment in L.A. for who knows where. They end up in Idaho, working for a Japanese man who's also a widow, making a home out of a shack on his land. You see (feel) the struggles of a parent, a mother, and not only that, but a single parent and mother of 5 children who has practically no money. You see the relationships between siblings and between the children and their mother. You see the resourcefulness and hard work ethic of the mother, sometimes taken too far, to the detriment of her own children (shunning the priest's attempts at helping out with free clothes or food or Christmas presents). You see the struggles of the oldest boy, a 13 year old son, taking on responsibility as the "man of the house," yet also being told to go get his father's belt for whippings from his mother. The mother finds work in a bowling alley, and you see her struggles with dating the bowling pro who works there. Every penny meant so much to them, that when their house is burning down, the oldest daughter risks her life to run inside and find the money jar, and cries on her mother when she has to tell her she couldn't find it. One of the sons discovers a junk yard on the way home on the schoolbus and ends up making many visits, scavenging various items for the house, pulling it all the way home on a make-shift wagon. As someone else already commented, the Christmas morning scene is poignant, as is the ending of the film. The ending was just another beginning, I would think, for this family.
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