Click to read the article
Tully (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:51
Fresh:41
Rotten:10
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: A beautifully acted, quietly moving little film.
Theatrical Release:Nov 1, 2002 Limited
Synopsis: "The Truth About Tully" explores a legacy of love between a family of men, and the events of one summer that change their world forever. Through the eyes of Tully Coates Jr. (Anson Mount) - the... "The Truth About Tully" explores a legacy of love between a family of men, and the events of one summer that change their world forever. Through the eyes of Tully Coates Jr. (Anson Mount) - the local hearthrob and eldest son - a world is revealed where secrets are kept close beneath wide open skies as a distant father and his two sons struggle with a past that has come back to haunt them. The loss of their mother years ago has left the Coates boys adrift, each longing for a connection to a woman they never knew. A separation has grown between Tully and his reclusive father (Bob Burrus), who lives in isolation even as he works side by side with his sons. Determined not to meet the same lonely fate, Tully runs wild with the women in town though he is careful to keep them all at a safe distance. Tully's shy younger brother Earl (Glenn Fitzgerald) is just the opposite, possessing an emotional maturity to comprehend things that Tully has yet to see or feel. In his quiet way, Earl is in Tully's shadow – but Earl knows something that Tully may not yet be able to handle. The one thing that Tully and Earl do have in common is an appreciation for Earl's straight-talking best friend Ella (Julianne Nicholson), a young woman smart enough to refuse overtures from a womanizer like Tully and strong enough to become his friend. As Earl watches warily, Tully becomes closer to Ella than anyone expected – but when devastating news pushes Tully into her arms, he runs away before he can begin to feel what might be true love. Tully's discovery of a long buried secret that now threatens his family and their farm brings him to confront his father about the ghosts of a past that have pushed them apart. When he discovers that his father's decisions were made out of love for his family, Tully begins to appreciate his father's strength. With the air cleared, Tully's own true feelings emerge and he comes to learn the delicate art of caring. The film is based on the award-winning story by Tom McNeal , with the screenplay adaptation by Matt Drake and Hilary Birmingham. "The Truth About Tully" is Birmingham's feature directing debut and is produced by Annie Sundberg. -- © TellTale Films [More]
Starring: Anson Mount, Julianne Nicholson, Glenn Fitzgerald, Catherine Kellner
Starring: Anson Mount, Julianne Nicholson, Glenn Fitzgerald, Catherine Kellner, Bob Burrus
Director: Hilary Birmingham
Director: Hilary Birmingham
Screenwriter: Matt Drake, Hilary Birmingham
Producer: Hilary Birmingham, Anne Sundberg
Studio: Small Planet
Get This Movie
Reviews for Tully
Tully is worth a look for its true-to-life characters, its sensitive acting, its unadorned view of rural life and the subtle direction of first-timer Hilary Birmingham.
Best to just pick up a blade of grass and chew on it while absorbing the scenic imagery and natural acting of a strong cast.
The revelations... are not in the plot but in the rhythm of life and the pace of days (brought to life perfectly in the crisp, bright, sunlit photography)...
A heartfelt, understated and occasionally heavy-handed slice of heartland.
It's a promising debut made even better by an impressive bunch of actors.
Watching Tully reminded me of a time when calling a movie 'little' was a compliment, a way of saying a director had found ways to locate his movie in a world that seemed entirely real.
There's certainly nothing objectionable about Tully, but there's nothing remarkable either. It resides in that cinematic middle ground of not-bad, not-great, just okay.
It brims with characters, incidents and dialogue that are alternately sharp and lyrical, and sometimes both at the same time.
The film is weighed down by supporting characters who are either too goodly, wise and knowing or downright comically evil.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| 19% 19% | Transformers: Revenge … |
| 55% 55% | Orphan |
| 43% 43% | The Proposal |
| 26% 26% | Land of the Lost |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 88% 88% | Ballast |
| 67% 67% | The Merry Gentleman |
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Moviefone brings us 9 failed attempts at biographical films.

TIME reminisces on the 10 most iconic moments from the films of Cameron Crowe.

BuzzSugar wants to know which movies coming out this month you're most looking forward to.

The AV Club takes a look back at Hedwig and the Angry Inch.



Top Critic


