Robert Altman revisits the lighthearted territory of his 1970s comedies BREWSTER MCCLOUD and A WEDDING and once again comes out a rousing success. This time, a tightly wound narrative by first-time screenwriter Anne Rapp keeps the laughs rolling as the story unfolds over an eventful Easter... [More]

Robert Altman revisits the lighthearted territory of his 1970s comedies BREWSTER MCCLOUD and A WEDDING and once again comes out a rousing success. This time, a tightly wound narrative by first-time screenwriter Anne Rapp keeps the laughs rolling as the story unfolds over an eventful Easter weekend in the small town of Holly Springs, Mississippi. The town residents are peaceful, kind folk--with the exception of Camille Dixon (Glenn Close)--a pushy theatre director with an incredibly shy younger sister, Cora (Julianne Moore), whose estranged daughter Emma (Liv Tyler) has just returned to town. On the heels of her latest play, Camille is shocked to discover that her Aunt Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt (Patricia Neal) has committed suicide. Terrified at the thought of how this will tarnish the family name, she eats the suicide note to make it look like a burglary. This set-up leads the police to one main suspect, Willis Richland (Charles S. Dutton), who also happens to be Cookie's best friend. Although the rest of the town is convinced Willis didn't commit the crime, an outside investigator (Courtney B. Vance) isn't so sure. As Easter Sunday and opening night of the play arrive, the truth comes out, revealing more secrets than anyone could have possibly imagined. Director Altman tells his story at a leisurely pace, beautifully recreating the eccentricities of small town life in this sweet-natured tale. [Less]