Mary Jo Walker (McTeer) is a Southern mother who hides her self-consciousness by overcompensating. She drinks, wears revealing outfits, and says things that other people would never even consider. Fleeing her latest abusive relationship, she and her daughter, twelve-year-old Ava (Brown), head out west. They eventually settle in Starlight Beach, California, and seem to be getting along just fine on their own, but it isn't long before the cycle threatens to repeat itself. McTeer's portrayal of Mary Jo is so seamless that one might forget she is even acting. Reminiscent of the character driven films that made 1970s Hollywood so exhilarating.
Academy Standard Flat Theatrical Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
Review 1:
"...McTeer and Brown make magic in a film that is wonderfully funny, touching and vital..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.90 12/9/1999
Review 2:
"...[McTeer] is a revelation in her first starring role on-screen. Earthy, womanly and utterly charismatic..."
Source: Movieline's Hollywood Life
p.40 12/1999-01/2000
Review 3:
"...[A] richly detailed and rewarding portrait..." -- 3 out of 5 stars
Source: Premiere
pp.95-6 05/01/2000
Review 4:
"...[With] a towering performance by Janet McTeer...An ongoing sense of freshness and discovery, thanks to McTeer's unstoppable Dixie-fried charm....Uniquely enjoyable..."
Source: Box Office
p.223-4 04/01/1999
Review 5:
"...[The actresses] have endearing moments, particularly in the later going, when the film seems to take on a slightly more improvisational tone..."
Source: USA Today
p.6D 11/24/1999
Review 6:
"...TUMBLEWEED is one of those wonderful, deeply personal pictures that pops up every now and then to lift your spirits..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.C9 11/24/1999
Review 7:
"...Movies like TUMBLEWEEDS exist in the details, not the outcome....We don't mind, since the characters have been intriguing to know and easy to care about..."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.35 12/10/1999
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