Empire Falls (2005)

Netflix Synopsis: Richard Russo’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was adapted into this HBO miniseries featuring a star-studded cast. Within the borders of a tiny Maine town, modest restaurant manager Miles Roby (Ed Harris) goes through the motions as he attempts to keep his Empire Grill afloat while dealing with an abrasive boss (Joanne Woodward), a wife (Helen Hunt) who ran out on him, a nosy father (Paul Newman) and a teenage daughter (Danielle Panabaker).

Review: “Every small town has a big story” and the story of Empire Falls is especially captivating. With the all-star ensemble cast (only a small few are mentioned in the synopsis) that was tapped for this mini-series, I was expecting something pretty special to unfold on my TV screen. I was not disappointed. The movie meanders slowly through the lives of the residents of Empire Falls, it’s a journey from beginning to end. So much thought is put into the characters and their development that the script becomes a rich detailed tapestry telling their separate stories while weaving in and out of the overall picture of small town existence, especially here in Maine. If you expect instant gratification from movies, Empire Falls is not the movie for you. However, if you want to get to know the characters on a level usually only accomplished in books, then stop in for a visit with Miles at the Empire Grill. You won’t be disappointed.

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Submitted by: Brandy 3/30/07