Faltering singing star Meg Magrath (Jessica Lange) return home to Hazlehurst, Mississippi for a visit. Her sister Rebecca "Babe" (Sissy Spacek) had just been arrested for shooting her overbearing husband. Her other spinster sister Lenny (Diane Keaton) has been caring for their elderly grandfather who raised the girls after their mother's suicide. The grandfather is in the hospital on his death bed as the court case against Babe moves ahead. Chick Boyle (Tess Harper) is the nosy cousin and Doc Porter (Sam Shepard) is the dashing neighbor.There is an incongruity between the slapstick wacky comedic tone and the darkness of the material. They work together seamlessly in the great black comedies. In this case, I am conflicted about the shooting incident. The carefree attitude about the case seems out of touch with the seriousness of the charge. The simple fix should be that Babe only fires a warning shot. The husband can still over-reach by demanding attempted murder charges but the girls would be well within their rights to take the case lightly. Anyways, the mother's suicide provides plenty of dark material all by itself. The lax attitude is a cause of annoyance to me. Otherwise, these are great actresses and I do love their chemistry. They have easy sisterly relationships and their back-and-forth are great. I just dislike the careless attitude towards shooting the husband.

This is the south, true and simply amazingly illuminating. The three sisters, each unique in their own quirky way, adore each other as they resent each other. But the beauty is their coming together in those family moments when nothing is as good as kin.So much sunshine lights on the faces and expressions of the actresses, and the tension, though slow, makes for a more interesting look into the inner life of Lenny, Babe and Meg. The supporting case all did fine jobs, and although short lived, the interaction between Lange & Shepard magnified their personal connection.Harper, the harpy, uppity cousin, was as typical as a cousin could get in a small town with know-it-all manners and nothing much to offer but spite. She played it for all it was worth, and then some, and get a head's up from the Academy.Babe's character played by Sissy Spacek, was perhaps the central figure in the triumvirate, but Keaton and Lange held their own throughout.A most worthy southern tale to laugh at, cry with and relate to with ease.

Crimes of the Heart We all have crimes of the heart.....sad, true, and blissful....at times...this film covers all the territory. Based on the successful play this film gathered an ensemble of some of the most talented actors and actresses of our time, which includes Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Tess Harper, Diane Keaton, and Jessica Lange. Taking place in the south, we follow the story of a family's relationship and how they are dealing with their sister shooting her husband. With the strong female cast we can't help but to feel their pain through their emotions, relationship with each other, and how they deal with life. Great strong character choices, yet sisters with something even greater in common....love of family, and loyalty. There are many lessons to learn in this film and one of the most important is you can't turn your back on your family, even when you run away they will be there for you. The acting is superb, the honesty is great and in all a wonderful film to see. A true classic!! When family gathers....everything comes out. My vote for this film is 7 out of 10.

An entertaining outrageous black comedy, it is supported by three excellent leading performances, although Sissy Spacek is by far the best, and the camera-work from Dante Spinotti is excellent, with creative camera angles and good use of panning. The film tries to bring in a nostalgic sense too though, and does not quite succeed, and the drama of the material does not mix well with the comedy. The choices of music are not too good either, and Tess Harper comes across as very annoying in an over-the-top way, but the virtues of the film are better than its shortcomings. The film comes across as rather lightweight with its black comedy treatment, but it certainly raises some issues with families and coping with one's past, among other ideas. It is not however a film to watch for its messages, but one to simply enjoy for its amusing parts and cinematic virtues, which include some good sound recording too.