Desert Bloom

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

70%

TOMATOMETER

Reviews Counted: 10

67%
liked it

Audience Score

User Ratings: 808

All Critics | Top Critics

Average Rating: N/A
Reviews Count: 0
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 0

Average Rating: 3.3/5

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Movie Info

A nuclear bomb explodes along with a nuclear family in Eugene Carr's coming-of-age drama Desert Bloom. The film is set in the arid outskirts of Las Vegas in 1950. Thirteen-year-old Rose Chismore (Annabeth Gish) has just received her first pair of glasses and now begins to see her family and her environment much more clearly. Under the shadow of an impending atmospheric testing of an atom bomb, Rose's family frays under emotional and cultural changes. Rose's father Jack (Jon Voight) is a battle-scarred veteran of World War II who runs a gas station and drinks too much. Her mother Lily (JoBeth Williams) is a cheery housewife addicted to platitudes and gambling. Jack, lonely and depressed and drawn to his blossoming daughter, reacts to his incestuous attraction by blackening her eyes. Into this unhealthy mix comes Aunt Starr (Ellen Barkin), a glamorous and independent woman who comes to live with the family for the 42 days necessary to obtain a quickie divorce. Rose, with her luminous sensuality, begins to entice all the local wolves, along with her brother-in-law Jack.

Rating:

PG (adult situations/language)
Genre:

Drama, Kids & Family, Romance
Directed By:

Eugene Corr
Written By:

Beth Gutcheon, Eugene Corr
On Disc/Streaming:

Mar 11, 2003
Runtime:

105 minutes
Studio:

RCA Video

Cast

Annabeth Gish
as Rose Chismore

Jon Voight
as Jack Chismore

JoBeth Williams
as Lily Chismore

Ellen Barkin
as Aunt Starr

Allen Garfield
as Mr. Mosol

Jay Underwood
as Robin

Desiree Joseph
as Dee Ann

Dusty Balcerzak
as Barbara Jo

Tressi Loria
as Shelly

Kysha Doty
as Spelling Bee Contestant

Laura Rasmussen
as Meryl

William Lang
as Colonel

Jim McCarthy
as Driver

Ann Risley
as Mrs. Muratore

Rick Scheiffer
as Mr. Brandal

Irene Goodnight
as R.C. Volunteer

Eugenia Moran
as R.C. Nurse

Danica Remy
as Nurse

Bruce Wineinger
as Texan

Armen Dirtadian
as Publicist

Molly Fontaine
as Ava

Al Petito
as Radio Clerk

Randy Harris
as Photographer

Chris Corr
as Delivery Boy

Fred C. Smith
as Tour Guide

Steven Mastroieni
as Nick

Bob Gish
as Superintendent

Onna Young
as Spelling-Bee Contestant

Jesse Sloan
as Spelling-Bee Contestant

Kiysha Doty
as Spelling-Bee Contestant

Todd Barish
as Spelling-Bee Contestant

Sherry Allen
as Spelling-Bee Contestant

Doris Berman
as Woman at Spelling Bee

Reynaldo Villalobos Jr.
as Boy Finalist

Judith Gish
as Spelling-Bee Moderator

Mike Stein
as Adult Party Goer

Ray LeFre
as Adult Party Goer

Tamara Cooley
as Adult Party Goer

Patty Harbor
as Adult Party Goer

Johnny L. Watkins
as Cab Driver

Mark Jenkins
as AEC Officer

View All

Critic Reviews for Desert Bloom

All Critics (10) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (3)

Now, it's fine for a movie to be earnest, and Julio Gallo, for that matter, but it does make "Desert Bloom" rather a slog.

Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
Top Critic
This sensitive coming-of-age tale is framed by the narration of its grown-up protagonist, recalling her childhood in the 1950s, an era defined by the A-Bomb and the culture it created.

Jun 12, 2006 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Memorable little story carried by Jon Voight.

Jun 11, 2005 | Rating: 4/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
a drama that stays with you; a good companion piece with "Blue Sky"

Jul 29, 2002 | Rating: 4/5

James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette
Manages to make clear that certain children possess the resiliency to handle the stress and pain of a troubled home.

Feb 14, 2002 | Full Review…

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice