Janie Jones

Janie Jones casts Abigail Breslin as the title character, an affable teen who is sent to live with the father she’s never met after her mother (Elisabeth Shue’s Mary Ann Jones) checks herself into rehab – with the twist being that Janie’s father (Alessandro Nivola’s Ethan Brand) is actually a temperamental musician in the midst of a make-it-or-break-it tour. Storywise, Janie Jones doesn’t exactly break new ground or possess too many elements viewers haven’t seen before – yet the movie boasts a pervasively likeable atmosphere that’s frequently heightened by the uniformly charming performances. (In addition to Breslin and Nivola’s stirring work, the film boasts scene-stealing appearances from eclectic supporting players like Peter Stormare, Frank Whaley, and Brittany Snow.) It’s a testament to the chemistry between Ethan and Janie that Janie Jones remains compelling even when it segues into its road-trip midsection, as the characters’ admittedly hackneyed journey (eg Ethan attempts to reconcile with his standoffish mother) is undoubtedly exacerbated by an emphasis on repetition (eg how many times can Ethan drunkenly fight someone at a bar?) Still, Janie Jones is a watchable, sporadically moving drama that benefits substantially from the ongoing emphasis on both Breslin and Nivola’s impressive musical skills (ie the songs here are actually quite good).

**1/2 out of ****