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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
--Story of the quirky and engaging Davitch family--, May 12, 2006
This review is from: Back When We Were Grownups (DVD)
Back When We Were Grownups is a delightful film. I watched it when it was presented as a Hallmark movie and it stayed in my mind for weeks after I viewed it.
It's the story of Rebecca Davitch (Blythe Danner) who at the age of 53 finds herself looking at her life and wondering how she became the person that she turned into.
As a young woman, still in college, she was engaged to a Will Allenby (Peter Fonda), a serious academic and they had a plan for their future. While at a reception, she met Joe Davitch, a divorced man, several years her senior. Rebecca was flattered and very much infatuated by the attention from Joe, and she married him without much consideration, except that she seemed to love him. She immediately became a stepmother to three little girls and manager of a home based business. She also inherited her husband's Uncle Poppy (Jack Palance) who had been living with the Davitch family since his wife died. Within a few years, Rebecca and Joe had their own child, another daughter. To further add to the confusion, Rebecca also has to deal with her husband's former wife who is played by Faye Dunaway
Although, amusing in many ways, I felt this story had a real feeling about the various relationships and jealousies that can crop up in any family. It also shows how one person often takes on the responsibility of keeping a family together.
Like many avid readers, I find that movies based on books, are rarely as good as the books. However, in this case, I enjoyed the film more than the book. I also thought that Blythe Danner did an excellent job in the major role of Rebecca.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hallmark excellence and a ripping performance by Jack Palance, April 21, 2009
This Hallmark adaptation of the book by the same name by one of my favorite authors, Anne Tyler, is a sheer joy. With a cast that includes Blythe Danner, Peter Fonda, and Faye Dunaway, along with the Hallmark 'signature' of excellent scripts, direction and cinematography, how can one go wrong? One can't, and this film is full of sparkle and fun, along with those characteristic 'Hallmark moments' when your heart catches in your throat. It's all here.
For those not familiar with Anne Tyler's novel, here is a brief summary of the story captured in this film, taken from the Hallmark Channel listings:
"Tagline: A 53-year-old widowed grandmother, matriarch, caretaker of an extended family embarks on a search for herself, for a life she feared was long gone, and for a new awareness she never imagined possible.
Rebecca Davitch, a 53-year-old widowed grandmother, matriarch, caretaker of an extended family, and proprietress of the family business, is suddenly questioning the choices she made in life that brought her to where she is today. So begins Rebecca's journey to rediscover her past, her old loves, and abandoned dreams in this beguiling adaptation of Anne Tyler's novel."
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The DVD is hard to find and it's wonderful that it's available here on Amazon. You'll love it. Warmly recommended.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Family relationships..., August 19, 2010
Characters are well developed. Interesting personalities and relationships within this family. Focus is on reconciling with the past and solidifying family unity in the present, accepting where life has taken you. A Hallmark presentation I would recommend to teens and adults.
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