If you dig deep into this movie, you will find superb & intelligent writing, fine acting, and great music choices that fit the film to a T... such an eclectic spread of musical choices! The scene of Sophie bouncing the ball on a wall and talking to Daltry about music is pure genius. This film also sort of highlights the 'simple life' in Appalachia - where love is King, but which also tends to be somewhat dramatic on personal/family levels - a nice touch.{Johnny Knoxville} gives such a touching performance in this simple little film, which - ironically - is set in his home state of Tennessee. {Elizabeth Banks} is outstanding in her own subtle, amazingly beautiful way. She is truly a breathtaking woman. Watch the scenes of her in the bathtub talking to Daltry, and her telling June that Daltry is her daddy. You will quickly fall for her as you watch her simple yet heartfelt performance. She is a true artist in every sense of the word. {Juliette Lewis} is such a GREAT actress, and she nails this - as usual. Her trademark scene is where she meets Elizabeth Banks and sees |straight| into her soul. And just watch how she simply twirls her hair 'round her finger all the time - it is so sweet, it's mesmerizing. {Sophie Traub} as June is just soooo adorable in her nerdy, prodigal way. She is very smartly cynical, but has true love of heart. She steals every scene she's in, and her character shows hints of genius in her music genre choices/comparisons. She spanks it as the narrator of the story, leading you easily thru and investing you in the characters. While the {Doyle} character tends to be somewhat irritating, listen closely! He is actually the one who will focus you to the deep, loyal, beautiful LOVE that is the true message of Daltry Calhoun. If you can find THAT - then get ready for a good cry.

Put any other actress in the "leading" role of June (Sophie Traub), and this film goes over the top, off the cliff, and vanishes into the backlist of the premium cable channels. Hilary Duff would have demolished this character, as would Lindsay Lohan or any of the other Hollywood divas.This role will do for Traub what River's Edge and Point Break did for Keanu Reeves. Neither of those films made too many waves, but they led to the top roles that he would later secure because of his performance in those films. In this film, Traub doesn't just shine, but wipes the mud off of a very mediocre script with a very mediocre supporting cast other than Juliette Lewis, who is totally misplaced and misused.It's easy to think this is a decent script with a decent plot. It's not. It's about a woman dying of cancer who drops her gifted 14 year-old daughter with her father who hasn't seen her since birth, just as his business empire is collapsing; not that he wouldn't trade that empire for his daughter, whom he accepts immediately and appears in awe of at most times.The daughter seems unaffected by circumstance, taking what life gives her without much outward complaint, not letting anything get in the way of her music, or her dreams of going to Julliard, where she'll be whisked into high society, with all its patronage and the social life that comes with being an artisan in Manhattan, a place where June will always be welcome.Traub could have pulled an Oscar nomination from a less political academy, but they'll likely make her pay her dues. Look for her to get increasingly meatier roles in films with bigger and bigger budgets, until she delivers that defining performance that gets her the future Oscar that appears to have her name on it, if she maintains her present course.Oh yeah, Johnny Knoxville isn't bad in this film. He, like the rest of the cast, is very good at getting out of the way so Traub can shine.

You know honestly i thought this movie was going to be a piece of junk when i first got it, but i was curious to see how bad Knoxville was as an actor outside of Walking Tall, personally i think he does an amazing job, not just for someone who's not really an actor, but for anyone in general, not saying that i think he should continue his acting career, but this was a damn good notch in his acting belt. Johnny Knoxville plays Daltry as only i believe he could, his awkward movement and facial expressions couldn't be faked and i couldn't imagine anyone else playing this part. Another great performance in this movie goes to David Koechner aka Doyle, he serves up a heartwarming and very believable performance, this commonly casted funny man really stretches his talents and delivers a great job. All in all a great movie, depressing, but great in the end.

I am writing because the only person, so far, who has posted a comment was clearly a man. It is so easy for someone to dismiss this movie as a "chick flick," but it only falls into that category if you are the kind of man who is totally out of touch emotionally. Yes, that is the norm, but still. I would highly recommend this film to anyone. Mothers will cry and young women will relate to the wonderful young actress who stars in the movie. Johnny Knoxville is surprisingly good as the unwitting father, and there are some very sweet father/daughter scenes. Juliette Lewis is, as always, fun to watch, and she handles her small role perfectly.