My Own Love Song

The Good, The Bad & Healing
I rented this movie for $2.00 from a Red Box because I love Renee Zellweger. I had never heard of the movie, so I was surprised to see it for rent. My sister and I love watching movies - both at the theater and at home. As I told my sister, "this movie is a keeper!"

This movie is odd, quirky, and musically haunting. It is a lovely story of how our lives can touch other lives in big and small ways. The reality of broken lives all around us is too true. The times of hopelessness and loss are too true. And the possibility for anyone of us who have been desperately hurt physically, emotionally or mentally to find acceptance, healing and/or love from another person - even someone other people dismiss as "crazy" or too strange - is also real. This is the foundation of this story.

The main characters are Jane, a white quadriplegic (Renee Zellweger) and Joey, a mentally unstable black man (Forest Whitaker). They are the unlikeliest of friends. Jane is singer whose...

Liked it and didn't.
I had mixed reactions. Yet this film is not just another journey story; but uniquely different and probably so simple that one can easily miss the meaning because of all the details. It says what it says including a sequence of unusual animations in the form of giant drawings of colorful birds with narration. That is just one of the "different" parts!

Basically the story line involves a woman(Renee Zellwenger) who, having been injured in an accident and now in a wheelchair, had to give up her baby son seven years hence, because she could no longer care for him. This runs along side the antics and compassion of her schizophrenic and very supportive(He calls himself her 'bodyguard') friend.(Forest Whitaker) Together and joined by two more (Nick Nolte in a wonderfully supporting part..alone worth the price of renting the DVD) in which on a trip to attend a first communion, each one seeks resolution from past taumatic wounds such as: the car accident; great losses,...

An "independent" film with BIG stars - and a Bob Dylan soundtrack to boot.
I don't think this "little" film played many theatres when released in 2010 but it sure has GREAT credentials and star power. Just look: We have Academy Award Winners Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker in the key roles, Academy Award nominee (twice!) Nick Nolte (in a brief role similar to what Jeff Bridges has been doing lately) and it was directed by French Director Olivier Dahan (who won Academy Awards for the French film "La Vie En Rose" (the Edith Piaf story). Oh yes, did I forget to mention that it includes original songs and music by Bob Dylan???

With all that said, the film is really a "small quiet film". It's the story of two "friends" - one the crippled Zellweger (who used to be a singers-songwriter - with a vinyl Lp to her name!) and Whitaker - who has some mental issues (and sees angels!) and cares for - and transports Zellweger They set out on a journey to attend her (now adopted) son's Communion in New Orleans. You've seen these films before and this has a...

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