Thirty-seven years ago, Karen (Annette Benning) gave up her daughter for adoption. On the other side of town, thirty-seven year old Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) was given up for adoption too, and is now is a successful lawyer. She has a bad reputation for wanting to abuse men – a daddy thing – including her lovely widowed boss, Paul (Samuel Jackson) who falls for her. Enter a young African American couple eager to adopt. And then another young unwed teen mother eager to place her baby…so what you have is the domino effect of giving up a child, losing a child and the lifelong repercussions and pains that continue to haunt all parties. But the movie centers on Benning’s character, and it’s great to see a favorite actress back on the big screen. Benning uses her style to draw from places any woman can relate to and works nicely as a physical therapist opposite another therapist, Paco (Jimmy Smits) who take her under his wing. The dialog is witty and insightful especially when the two attempt dating. Benning’s character Karen, afterall, traumatized by a high school mistake, is a bit rusty at men. In the end, we learn that what happens in life is the result of alot of will and a little luck. A stunning movie that is almost a perfect four tiaras except for a last minute plot twist that seems a bit over-the-top. Yet, the overall message still remains. Three tiaras
