The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio Movie Review 2005

Based on a memoir by Terry Adams. The "prize winner" is Terry's mother Evelyn (Moore, who filmmakers seem to love casting as a 1950s housewife). The mother of ten children and the wife of a drunk (Harrelson), ever-cheerful Evelyn figures out how to (barely) hold it all together by becoming a successful jingle writer, winning money and prizes for her catchy advertising tunes. Maybe a little heavy and nostalgic at moments, but charming nonetheless.

Distribution

DreamWorks SKG, 1000 Flower St., Glendale, CA 91201, Phone: (818)695-5000, Fax: (818)695-7775, URL: http://www.dreamworks.com

Available on DVD
Running time 99 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Stories, Period Piece: 1950s, Family Drama, Moms, Strained Suburbia

Screenplay

Jane Anderson

Cast

Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Trevor Morgan, Simon Reynolds

Cinematography

Jonathan Freeman

Director

Jane Anderson

Music

John Frizzell

Other

Bruce Carwardine, Robert Dalva, Andrew Stearn, Hala Bahmet, Edward T. McAvoy

Producer

Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Imagemovers, Go Fish Pictures