Falling prey to the lack of really favorable reviews and feedback, I waited over a month following its DVD release before finally watching this movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the experience and left with the belief that this movie was underappreciated by the film community.
I found this film to be tumultuous and heart wrenching, yet still uplifting. Set in the early 1960s, the film successfully brought home the racial conflict and social constraints of those times in this coming-of-age tale. I thought the performances by Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo were especially moving, in addition to Dakota Fanning's portrayal of a tormented 14-year old girl. Despite one critic's description of the film as "not very satisfying," I was more than satisfied with its powerful cast and impressive adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel.
But hey, this is just my opinion...you will have to view the movie for yourself. The DVD is available for purchase online or at your favorite retail movie store.