Lianna
by John Sayles
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Jane Hallaren, Jessica MacDonald, Jo Henderson, Jon DeVries, Linda GriffithsDirector: John Sayles
Brand: SAYLES,JOHN
Editor: John Sayles
Writer: John Sayles
Producer: Maggie Renzi
Cinematographer: Austin De Besche
Producer: Jeffrey Nelson
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-16
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Lianna
Movie Review: Troubled people, love in many forms and a fine story
Summary: 5 Stars
This little-known 1983 film must have been shocking in its time. It's about a young mother in an unhappy marriage to a college professor. She begins an affair but the twist of this story is that the affair is with a female teacher. She then has to cope with a broken marriage, the angst of her two children, and a whole new world of the lesbian subculture. Add to this the fact that the older woman is not as anxious to commit to the relationship. She doesn't want to be exposed as it would hurt her career and she also has a long-standing relationship with a woman in another state. The young woman now finds that life is just as difficult for her as it was when she was married to her uncaring spouse. There's high drama here, but it never turns maudlin.
Linda Griffiths is the young woman and she's great in the role of a woman who is suddenly cast into a lifestyle that is totally new to her. Jane Hallaren is the older teacher in an excellent performance. She, too, comes across as a troubled human being. There are some very tender scenes between the two of them and they are touching and authentic. I was moved by their dilemma and by their performances.
My highest accolades, however, go to John Sayles who wrote and directed it. He even cast himself in a small role. There's an extra feature on the DVD which features him discussing this film which is a perfect complement to the film itself. Through the years, he has proven his talent for bringing out the many complex layers in seemingly simple situations. He certainly did a great job with Lianna. It's a really fine film. Highly recommended.
Summary of Lianna
The visionary writer-director behind such films as Passion Fish, Lone Star and Sunshine State, OscarĀ(r) nominee* John Sayles has been at the forefront of independent cinema for more than twenty years. In this moving and compassionate film, Sayles presents a 'sympathetic, realistic portrait (Boxoffice) of Lianna, a young wife and mother who leaves her husbandfor another woman and embarks on a turbulent journey of self-discovery. Lianna must face the anger and confusion of her husband as well as the raised eyebrows of her community. But when her new loveralso rejects her, she faces the most difficult task of all: She must learn to love herself. *1996:Original Screenplay, Lone Star; 1992: Original Screenplay, Passion FishSimilar DVD Movies
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