Ihre letzte Chance

I will always remember this movie........I will always remember Diane Weitz as a great actress........I have been searching over the years for this movie because Martina McBride came out with the song Independence Day and I know from my heart that it was based on this movie.......But to ask anyone that, I know they will tell you that the only one movie called Independence Day was solely about aliens.......Can anyone out there confirm that Martina's song is based on this movie......at least now I know that I can prove that there was such a movie........

On the IMDb message board of The Sweet Hereafter, a writer asked users what was the most bone chilling moment in a film. I mentioned the little seen, small town drama Independence Day (a.k.a.: Follow Your Dreams, and not to be confused with the 1996 sci-fi blockbuster). Although Kathleen Quinlan and David Keith were the leads, I thought their somewhat interesting but not very compelling small-town romance was overshadowed by a subplot that could have been a main story in another movie.

As Keith's suicidal and physically-abused sister, Dianne Wiest gave a heartbreaking performance. The dramatic decision she makes that directly affects her abusive husband (Cliff DeYoung, who also does a great job with his despicable character) and indirectly affects the lead characters, definitely chilled my bones.

Weist's performance here was three years before her first of three supporting Oscar nominations, with 2 wins for Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over Broadway.

Although I had mixed feelings for Independence Day, I would recommend checking out the movie for Dianne Wiest's outstanding supporting performance.

This movie looks at personal choices we make in our life. The choice can be to take a different direction or do nothing different. The consequences of decision made can be remarkable and this film reveals the personal emotions and feelings we can all relate to in our daily lives. The cast is excellent portrayed especially Diane Wieste as the abused wife. If we would take the lessons that can be learned in this film, we would all be better off. When you reach in life situations were you must make a decision, make one and don't just stay your present course. Changes in life can be well received. And better to have taken a chance then to take non.

Carefully-considered character piece, a solid drama and a genuine sleeper, has a would-be auto racer returning to his small hometown in Texas after his dreams have hit a dead-end; he meets up with a girl his knew back in high school, a waitress and shutterbug who still lives with her parents and has aspirations to go to an art school in Los Angeles. Subplot with the young man's suicidal sister, trapped in a bad marriage to an abusive lout, nearly takes precedence over the main story, though all the performances are equally strong. Kathleen Quinlan is the sassy, headstrong photographer who makes firm statements about herself and her future--and then second guesses her own words and instincts (the contrivance with Quinlan waiting for the school's letter of invitation to come in the mail can be overlooked). As her new beau, David Keith is still being used as a substitute for Kurt Russell, yet his character's quiet strength (and his slow-building frustration and anger) shows him off to a fine advantage here. As the alternate couple, Dianne Wiest is a wonderful "born victim" who turns the tables, but Cliff De Young--while completely convincing as Wiest's repugnant husband--fails to come up with anything fresh (he's the eternal substitute for Dabney Coleman). Barely released by Warner Bros. in 1983, the film attained a small cult on cable and video, and it's a worthwhile film for fans of human drama. **1/2 from ****

This, I suppose, largely forgotten movie just aired on Swedish late-night television. I don't expect many people saw it. I only happened upon it myself. But it managed to catch my interest.

It is a small, unassuming movie. Nothing remarkable, but well-acted and warm at heart. It paints a believable picture of small-town life, not just in America, but in most of the Western world. As I watched it I realized that it could very easily be adapted to Swedish conditions. You would really only need to change the names, and let it take place in the cold north of Sweden, with Stockholm the glowing city in the sun. The same longing for something more, and the same fear of the unknown exists right here. I guess it's universal.

Anyway, the movie is well worth watching. It is far better than its recent over-hyped and under-acted namesake.