The Trip to Bountiful

Based on the play by Horton Foote, The Trip to Bountiful follows Geraldine Page’s Carrie Watts as she plots to visit her childhood home despite the objections of her son (John Heard’s Ludie) and daughter-in-law (Carlin Glynn’s Jessie Mae). Filmmaker Peter Masterson, working from Foote’s screenplay, kicks the proceedings off with a less-than-auspicious opening stretch that doesn’t hold much promise, admittedly, as the movie’s overly theatrical sensibilities pave the way for an arms-length first act that works only as a showcase for undeniably stirring performances. It’s clear, then, that The Trip to Bountiful improves considerably once Page’s protagonist embarks on her journey to the aforementioned home, as the picture does, beyond that point, adopt a comparatively propulsive feel that’s heightened by the continuing inclusion of engaging, entertaining sequences (eg Carrie hides from her son and daughter-in-law at the bus station) – which, in turn, ensures that Carrie’s exploits slowly-but-surely possess a far more engrossing and emotional bent than one might’ve initially anticipated. (This is particularly true of the climactic heart-to-heart that transpires between Carrie and Ludie.) The end result is a solid adaptation that is, while far from earth-shattering, consistently watchable and brilliantly acted, with, in terms of the latter, Page’s justifiably lauded turn playing a significant role in the film’s success.

*** out of ****