Gas Food Lodging

I recently watched this film with my husband who grew up in Deming, NM where the film was made. Very authentic story with regard to the lack of anything to do in the small desert towns of NM and the constant desire to get the heck out of there either by running away or using your imagination. Shade is a fantastic character and you will easily fall in love with her. Additionally, once you discover the reason for Trudi's attitude, you'll root for her too instead of wondering her problem is with everyone. This film is a real catch. Wish I heard about it sooner, my husband just remembered it one day when he was telling me how excited everyone was that a movie was being made in Deming. We were surprised to find it was available on Netflix.

Keen adaptation of Richard Peck's novel "Don't Look and It Won't Hurt", starring Brooke Adams in a terrific performance as the single mother of two headstrong young daughters who hopes for a better existence outside their backwater town in New Mexico, but not knowing just how to go about finding it. Arty, intriguing showcase for some very fine actresses (Adams, Ione Skye and the inscrutable Fairuza Balk), as well as James Brolin in a small but telling role as the girls' dreamy-quiet, estranged father. Director Allison Anders, who also adapted the screenplay, does hit an awkward snag or two in exploring these characters' emotions, but her feel for Nowhere U.S.A. is rich with complexity. Moody and unusual, it's a film worth seeing. *** from ****

Nora (Brooke Adams) is a single mom trying to raise two daughters in a small New Mexico town. Shade (Fairuza Balk) is a nice girl obsessed with a latina cinema heroine Elvia Rivero. Trudi (Ione Skye) is rebellious and sexually promiscuous.

Director Allison Anders has made a small movie about mother-daughter and sister-sister relationships. This is mostly about their love lives. The three female leads have created good compelling characters. There is one missing element from the movie. There isn't a one central idea to drive the plot. It's basically watching their love lives slowly unfold. The movie doesn't really have a direction. However, the three leads do a good job. The meandering love stories have memorable moments and are compelling.

I absolutely loved this movie. There's no other way to put it.

Great acting from Fairuza and Ione and no matter what anyone says Ione Skye is a fabulous, talented actress. Every woman should see this movie and ultimately relate to it. We're all in search of a long-lasting relationship, but there are worse things in the world than being lonely. That's what I took away from the movie. For a change this film actually had an intelligent screenplay and top quality acting and directing. Again, I highly recommend the movie especially to women. Don't let this one go unnoticed!!

I have seen this movie three times, and each time I see it, I appreciate it more. This is a story about a mother and her two daughters, and the personal struggles each go through as they try to be a family. While the movie is slow-paced, I highly enjoyed the cinematography. The ages of the three main characters gives a special insight into the difficulties facing women at different stages in their lives.