Customer Reviews

Walking Across Egypt

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once in a while a movie comes along that is so refreshingly poignant it makes an impression. WALKING ACROSS EGYPT is one of those quiet little gems that are hard to come by.
Ellen Burstyn has one of her best roles in years as Maddie Rigsby, an elderly woman who putters around her house and even though she manages to get stuck in her easy chair when the cushion collapses, she's still pretty durable. After a sermon at her local church regarding do unto others, Maddie takes it on herself to visit the young nephew of the local animal control man, and takes him her pound cake and iced tea. Wesley is a hard-nosed, cynical young man, who has gone from orphanage to foster home to the juvenile detention center for stealing a car. Wesley asks Maddie if she is his grandmother, giving us our first inkling into what Wesley has missed in his life. When he and another fellow inmate escape after tangling with the musclebound Johnny, Wesley sees Maddie as an easy mark and charms his way into a place to stay for a few days and to steal money so he can go off to Florida. Maddie also has a grown son, who is in his late thirties without any romantic involvements, and a daughter who thinks Maddie should opt for a retirement home. It isn't long before Maddie and Wesley develop a strong relationship: she throws him in the river to make him learn to swim; takes him fishing; treats him special.
What makes the movie work so well is Burstyn's believably real performance; she doesn't try and act like a former Oscar winner; she's tough, touching and ultimately heartwarming. Jonathan Taylor Thomas scores big as Wesley, his pumped up bravado swiftly replaced by a sense of wonder as he discovers things he's missed; Mark Hamill is fine as Wesley's uncle, the animal catcher who marvels at the changes in his young nephew; Judge Reinhold and Gail O'Grady are effective as Maddie's children, he a little more accessible than O'Grady's cool aloofness. Harve Presnell and the late Gwen Verdon are funny as Maddie's dotty neighbors and Pat Corley offers a fine sheriff.
WALKING ACROSS EGYPT is a quiet, yet majestic film that tugs at the heart and its ending which seems to be heading to tragedy has a redemptive and satifying conclusion.

This movie is a gem and definitely warrants a place in the family video collection. [June 12, 2007 edit: in addition to this review, the comments associated with same may help you to decide whether you agree].

The movie opens by trailing a little stray dog as it winds its way through visually stunning southern (United States) geography, eventually along a waterway up onto the porch of Mattie Rigsbee, an elderly widow, expertly played by Ellen Burstyn, where the dog's unexpected arrival sets off a cascade of events where the journey is at least as rewarding as the destination.

The story moves steadily and effectively through a continuous stream of interpersonal exchanges and juxtapositions that serves to create ongoing alternating tension and release. Mattie attends church and hears a sermon on "the least of these, thy brethren," and is moved to act upon her faith with childlike simplicity and sincerity by bringing cake and iced tea to juvenile delinquent Wesley Benfield, the dog catcher's nephew; this stands in contrast to the hypocrisy of the preacher who delivered the sermon, which becomes exposed by the end of the movie. Mattie's advanced age stands in sharp contrast to Wesley Benfield's youth. Yet, for all their differences, they are well matched. Mattie tells Wesley he ought to have his mouth washed out for using a bad word; yet, she does not flinch at all when he mentions his first "roll in the hay."

Mattie takes life as it comes and handles every situation with aplomb, yet, Mattie's basic competence and resilience are not at all recognized or appreciated by her own middle-aged daughter who wants to move Mattie to a retirement center. In contrast, Mattie's elderly neighbor accurately observes (to Mattie's son) that Mattie is happy and can take care of herself as she has been doing for some time.

Mattie's reference to a gun Wesley has brought into her home as a "tool of the devil," smacks of an underlying gun-control agenda and does not ring true with the southern culture or values I have seen firsthand for most of my life. The movie -- which contains scant objectionable language, the fleeting reference to premarital sex (mentioned above), and some mild violence -- shatters more stereotypes than it reinforces, by far.

In the end, Mattie realizes with joy that her belief in there being "some good in that boy" is well placed. She dons the lavender suit she had set aside for her burial and excitedly sets out to rescue the stray dog and the boy, both in the "nick of time."

I am so impressed with this movie that I plan to read the book!

I had not planned to watch this movie (never heard of it, I guess it went directly to video) but a co-worker just kept INSISTING. To shut her up, I took it home from the library expecting to do a lot of fast-forwarding. Surprise! It is a wonderful .. WONDERFUL movie. I can't say enough good things about it. A total delight. Great acting. Great story. Great moral. I ended up buying a copy for myself and have watched it several times.

Although it's nice to see young hunk Jonathan Taylor Thomas in a bathtub scene, Ellen Burstyn is the heartbeat that drives this great little film. It never got released to theaters, just direct to Blockbuster and beyond. That's a shame because director Arthur Allan Seidelman captured some great shots of Florida that deserve to be stretched across a large cinematic canvas. Wonderful ensemble cast, I especially loved Gwen Verdon, but then I always did. For once, the film is every bit as good as the novel.

Thought provoking! Do we mean what we say or are they just words? Amazing possibilities if we take to heart what is said and believe. I'm referring to the preacher's sermon on Matthew 25:36. Interesting his reaction later to someone taking to heart what he said. Sadly typical. Walking Across Egypt was like a breath of fresh air or a swim on a hot day in a favorite swimming hole.

Wonderful family movie. Watched this with my 7 year old Grandson who now also loves this movie. Leaves you with a "good feeling". Also is a lesson in how we should treat people who are less fortunate than we are. I had never heard of this movie until a couple years ago. I have been searching for the DVD ever since that time. This is a movie you never tire of watching!

I read the book first and was sure I would be disappointed with the movie. Wrong. Even though the movie had some big name stars the story was the star. Seldom is a senior citizen the focus in a movie and usually they are portrayed as addled, sticky sweet or mean as a snake. They got it just right this time. The story in a nutshell is that those who don't have a family want one and those who do have a family don't appreciate them. This movie has a beginning and an ending with a middle that worked. How refreshing. I loved the small, unpretentious book and loved the small, unpretentious movie. Its a small miracle.

A very good movie! I would watch this again and recommend for a family motion picture to share with young people. It is the kind of movie that makes you believe their are good people in this world and care about others. Acting was excellent!

Have loved this movie for a long time. Reminds us to make room for others who need a helping hand. It also challenges us to do something for others, even if it costs us more than we planned. Quite a few laughs along the way, yet it helps you see how some people in society suffer more than we realize.

I love this movie..it is well worth watching. If you love to laugh, cry and cheer this is the movie for you. It is really an undiscovered treasure.