Product Details

• Actors: Scott Glenn, Arija Bareikis, Robert Sean Leonard, Melinda Dillon, Logan Lerman
• Directors: Alfonso Arau
• Writers: John Grisham, Patrick Sheane Duncan
• Producers: Brent Shields, Cameron Johann, Gordon Wolf, Richard Welsh
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: October 21, 2003
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000C3I8M
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,347 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Even by the high standards of the Hallmark Hall of Fame, A Painted House is well above average. John Grisham's well-received "lawyer-free" novel was respectfully adapted by Patrick Sheane Duncan (Mr. Holland's Opus), and director Alfonso Arau (Like Water for Chocolate, A Walk in the Clouds) brings just the right touch of toughness and delicate nostalgia to Grisham's semi-autobiographical remembrance of boyhood in rural Arkansas, circa 1952. Grisham's alter ego is 10-year-old Luke Chandler (well played by Logan Lerman), and when tempers flare into violence between the Mexican migrant workers and itinerant "hill people" hired to harvest cotton on his grandfather's farm, Luke--who has witnessed a murder--must decide whether to expose the killer or keep the crime a secret. Filled with warm grace notes and a perfect cast including leather-faced Scott Glenn and Melinda Dillon (as Luke's grandparents), A Painted House juggles multiple crises (including devastating rainstorms) with strong family values, capturing the humor and hardship of farming life at a crossroads of fading tradition and inevitable change. Combining elements of To Kill a Mockingbird and Places in the Heart, this is a purebred Hallmark production in every respect, earning a badge of pride for everyone involved in its making. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description
Based on the novel by John Grisham. Until that September in 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in that long, hot summer when 10-year-old Luke Chandler comes of age, two groups of migrant workers - and two very dangerous men - come through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries flood Luke's world. A murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman catches Luke's eye. A fatherless baby is born, and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. As young Luke watches the world around him, he shelters secrets that could shatter lives - and change his family forever. A memorable adaptation of John Grisham's life-affirming story, A Painted House draws on childhood memories and "local lore" from his Arkansas roots.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars -An American Story--, September 18, 2004

By	Judith Miller (Bluemont, VA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Having listened to this book on tape, my husband and I were delighted to see that Hallmark Hall of Fame had turned this wonderful story into a film. We were not disappointed.

This story takes place in Arkansas and is set in September of 1952. The Chandler family owns a farm. They grow cotton and hire both, Mexican migrant workers and Hill people, to pick their crop. The two groups clash when they meet on the Chandler farm. The story is told by 10 year old Luke Chandler. Logan Lerman gave a memorable performance as Luke. The entire cast was good, and we also enjoyed Scott Glenn in the role of Luke's grandfather.

John Grisham's books are always captivating, but this is my favorite. I wish that he would write more stories like this one. It gave us a look at America in a different era when baseball was an American past time and families worked together for a common goal. It also showed the relationship between the farmers and migrant workers who shared the responsibility of harvesting the cotton.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good for a book adaptation, September 1, 2005

By	Isabella Perner (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was curious about this film because I had recently read - and enjoyed - the book by John Grisham. And well, yes, the book IS better, but who would expecte anything else? The movie version still is very good indeed, the acting was good. Scott Glenn played the grandfather very convincingly and Logan Lerman gave a promising performance as young Luke Chandler. These two worked well together and they are the main characters. Although some slight story adaptations were made, the film still stays true to the book (John Grisham himself was involved in the project). There should have been a little more focus on the character of Cowboy, since his part in the story got bigger towards the end and only little background about the developing conflict between him and Hank Spruill (a very good performance by Pablo Schreiber as the angry young man) was really given - whereas in the book the conflict builds gradually. The final - and fatal - fight between the two also differs from the book version, but the way it starts here was probably necessary to make it work (see my comment about the lack of development). Apart from a few minor upsets, this is a fine and entertaining film.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie, September 16, 2004

By	R. Polk (Plant City FL, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

most reviewers think they need to write an essay comparrison between the book and movie. I am simply going to review the movie. It was great and very heartwarming. A good family classic to have. Good values and a great glimpse into southern life. Too bad movies today don't have the same wholesome storyline that A Painted House does.