This small but gracefully poignant movie knocked me to my knees. It takes a few scenes to get oriented and sense the lurking power behind the acting, the script, the camera work, the direction. The film seems to sort itself into a series of vignettes that each carry the intensity of a looming freight engine, netting you in with magnetic emotional conflict and portent. A toddler is kidnapped from an emotional cripple due to the unwelcome force of empathy impinging upon a street smart runaway young delusional woman whose adopted duty in life is to distance herself from the demands of society. The fate and welfare of the child sets up an anticipatory force field of protective instinct in the viewer that rivets their heart to the precisely unfolding drama.The pacing of the unwinding plot is genius. We know the story can end only one way- with the kidnapping uncovered. This inevitability is slowly ratcheted up by a series of scenes that, with a script and direction wrenching at the soul of human dysfunction while being as real as any street level Italian neo-realist film, gets to the disturbing tragic core of people trying to keep from drowning in the lives they have made for themselves. Director Sian Heder conjurs a consistency of performance from her actors that is immediate and gritty and profound. Each segment can almost stand alone as a compaction of hope and anxiety and imperfect coping skills meeting their revelation as not sufficient for the tasks of reality.This film will be taught in film schools one day. The highest comment I can pay is to claim that "Talulah" stands up to the aesthetic rigors of any Dogme 95 offering.

I just randomly picked up to see this film. One of the reasons - not a very good one, but hey - is that the name of the film is like one of Tori Amos' songs. The song is great and so is this movie. I must say that the beginning of it was not really promising ( up until she came to the hotel and actually entered the room of a woman) and I was wondering if I chose the right film ( which means interesting one which is not boring and it is entertaining). Luckily it was great.What I liked the most is a simple story ( somewhat) great characters ( all three women and a 'missing son')and really good relationships insights.I must say that I do not know any of the actors from any other films or series. They were all new to me and I think they all did a great job ( except that younger gay guy - who was not really convincing).What is missing in the film is maybe a better soundtrack or let's say a few more songs. All in all, quite a good one. Nine from me.

Ellen Page is excellent as a homeless young woman, cynical, hard-bitten and foul-mouthed, who abducts a toddler from its rich, neglectful mother and makes friends with her ex-boyfriend's estranged mother--under the guise that she's a single mom raising this woman's granddaughter all on her own. A hard movie to like, but also a movie impossible to dismiss, "Tallulah" is an impressive production purchased by Netflix that has many things to recommend it, not the least of which is an array of fabulous performances from the ladies in the cast. Unfortunately, filmmaker Sian Heder is a much better director than she is a writer, and the relationship between Tallulah and her boyfriend--a crucial element in the story--is not convincing (the problem is with his character, who simply does not ring true). Page is reunited with her "Juno" co-star Allison Janney, and the two have a special rapport that is, by turns, angry and bitter and lovely and moving. However, the arc of Janney's character isn't as profound as its meant to be (for instance, she's terrible and nasty to her soon-to-be-ex husband, who left her for another man), and the last portion of the plot is gummy and indecisive.

I loved this movie. The story is gripping, the characters interesting with authentic intensity. Slowly and with a fine tuning people are brought together who ultimately all have the same issue: Lack of Love. The story shows what happens to us when Love is missing, what crazy behavior can result from this and how desperately insecure we are wondering around in this world then. The emotions like disappointment, resentment, hurt and anger are very well displayed without disturbing the viewer too much. Also the small parts, like the scenes between Margo and the doorman, are precious. It shows that Love is in every corner of this world, we don't have to go to big lengths to find Love. It is everywhere. Just our wounds and hurt from the past blinds us to see it. Wonderful acting, heartwarming and at times also a funny. Really worth seeing.