Currently Watching Bastard out of Carolina By Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ron Eldard, Glenne Headly, Lyle Lovett, Jena Malone, Dermot Mulroney, Christina Ricci, Michael Rooker, Diana Scarwid, Susan Traylor, Grace Zabriskie, Richard Todd Sullivan, Pat Hingle, Lindley Mayer, Jamison Stewart, Timothy Stewart, Kelsey Elizabeth Boulware, Jeffrey Pillars, Rick Warner, Joe Maggard see related

Movie:  Bastard out of Carolina

Bone is an appropriately named ten year old girl.  The nickname came about because her uncle said that she was the size of a "knuckle bone" when she was in the hospital after being born.  Ignoring Uncle Earle's ignorance of physiology, the comment was dumb because she seemed just as big as any other baby.

Bone was a bastard, and if you haven't figured out, she's also from Carolina.  These are two major pulls at sympathy the director uses.  Bone's mother spends half of the movie crying about how Bone's birth certificate says she's illigitimate, a shocking result of her not knowing who the father is.  While this is meant to be a big deal, no one but the mom seems to care.  People give dirty looks to everyone in Bone's family because they are poor and stupid, bastardity is just the assumption.

I said Bone's mother spent half of the movie trying to make her legit.  Well she spent the other half letting her get abused by her 2nd husband (the 1st flew out of his car windshield, a repeated theme in the film).  While child abuse is taboo and a probably indefensible subject, I'll make my stand just the same.  Bone deserved it.  You should have heard the way she talked back to her "daddy".  In another scene, her mother called her from downstairs and Bone didn't hear her.  You know what improves hearing, a belt.  the whinney bitch broke her tail bone.  That should have ultimately taught her to behave, but no, she kept pushing the issue.  I can concede that rape may have been a bit harsh on the father's part, but he was frustrated.  Parents can only do so much.

I give this movie two thumbs down.  I don't appreciate attempts at forcing my emotions and sympathies with extreme acts such as rape unless Jodie Foster is in the movie.

- Gore