Gracie's Choice (2004)

Gracie Thompson hasn't been so much brought up as dragged through life by her manipulative, drug-addled mother. Missing meals, dodging cops and landlords, changing schools the way most kids change socks, Gracie and her sister and brothers, each the product of a different dead-beat dad, seem to have hit the skids. Then Gracie makes a choice to get a job, succeed in school, find stability. And her choice isn't just for herself. At the age of 17, she decides to be the mother, emotionally and legally, her siblings never had.

I was born in hell (4.5)

Ah, Lifetime. Every man's kryptonite. Normally, I'd never, ever, admit to watching, much less purchasing, something with Lifetime's name on it. Then I found out Kristen Bell was in one of their original movies.

Gracie's Choice follows, here's a shocker, Gracie Thompson. Gracie is a sixteen year old--or seventeen, there's some grey areas--whose mom is a drug addict who swears, everytime she's busted, that she's never doing it again. Her grandmother still believes her daughter (Gracie's mom) can change so she gives her chance after chance. And we can't forget Gracie's three brothers and sister, all of which have different dads. Due to turbulent times, and not wanting her family--well, the kids at least--to go through what she did, Gracie decides to do something about it. Balancing school, a job, and having three brothers depend solely on her, can she handle it?

There's nothing new to this movie. Once you see Lifetime's name plastered on the cover you know that there's going to be a woman abused (Gracie gets hit by one of her mother's many different boyfriends), and a heartwarming ending that you know is coming, but it still makes you smile. Even with this being a true story, there's other movies based on true stories exactly like this, and a majority of those are probably made by Lifetime at that. All that being said, Gracie's Choice is great.

It's easily admitted that Kristen Bell is the reason this movie is so good. She, singlehandedly, makes anything she's in watchable (just look at the godawful Roman). Diane Ladd as Gracie's grandma has a noteworthy performance as well. Anne Heche is good, but she tends to overact in a few parts throughout this film. Then you have the obligatory children. I'm not a huge fan of kids playing big parts in movies and while this movie only proves my reasoning, they do their job.

Guys won't watch this movie, plain and simple. Unless you're a huge fan of Kristen Bell, such as myself, guys probably will never know this movie has even been made. So, if you're a woman in search of a feel good movie, Gracie's Choice is right up your alley. December 19, 2007

Review

It is one of the best Lifetime movies. All the actors had me believing they were the real persons from the story. From a personal fan of Kristen Bell November 16, 2007

Breaking the Cycle of Abuse is Possible

This LifeTime made-for-tv movie is a true story of Gracie Thompson and her struggle to survive her abusive, heroine addicted mother and keep her siblings together.

Kristen Bell delivers an inspiring performance as Gracie, an intelligent teenager with a strong will and loyalty to her brothers. She spent most of her childhood taking care of them (as well as her mother) while traveling in and out forty-one different schools.

Anne Heche plays her mother Rowena. She uses her children, she uses her boyfriends and she uses her mother to fill her addictions. This is one of Heche's most difficult roles and she does an excellent job of making the audience hate her.

With the help of a school counselor and a social worker Gracie files for emancipation from her mother. She eventually fights to terminate parental rights all together so she won't have to worry about her three younger brothers being taken away from her and being put into separate foster homes. Going to school, achieving A's, working part-time and taking care of a household is a lot to ask most adults never mind a teenager. Gracie proves it's doable.

With so many children being abused and separated and lost in the system it's nice to see a story where the system worked to help one family stay together. Life is full of choices and there comes a time when someone has to decide to make the right one. Gracie's choice is a perfect example of how one girl's choice changes the cycle of abuse in her family. Great film. Reviewed by M. E. Wood. September 21, 2007

Another winner for Kristen Bell and Lifetime

"Gracie's Choice" is a true story and no actress could have pulled off the role of Gracie as well as Kristen Bell. There were some similarities with her brilliant work in "Veronica Mars" and proves again the brilliance of her acting. We hope to see many more good films like this starring Ms. Bell. September 6, 2007

All Around

My attention was first drawn to this movie because Kristen Bell of the CW's Veronica Mars is in it. After reading the discription I knew I had to purchase it and I am glad I did. Not only was it a perfect cast and the acting terrific but the movie all around was fantastic. I know it was based on a true story and that made it all the more captivating. I highly recommend this movie. April 3, 2007

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