Miss Meadows

A friend noted she was watching this with favorable comments, after I'd added it to my "to watch" list, and I immediately gave it a go. It attempts to split the difference between the unregenerate darkness of Falling Down and slapstick physical comedy and over the top satire of Boondock Saints I and II. At the same time, there's enough originality in the characters and their relationships to make it original. While I feel they could have done more, to add depth to the story and its plotting, it in fact works pretty well for a 1:23 movie. Miss Meadows (played by Katie Holmes who is well casted for the part), is a rolling stone substitute teacher, traveling from town to town. Without spoiling, her backstory makes clear she is a child whose emotional, character and judgmental development are largely stunted at the level of a five-year old. Apparently raised by a mother who has taught her all the right things, Mary Meadows remains locked in the pre-teen's undeveloped capacity for understanding paradox and grey areas--all is right or wrong, just or unjust, good or bad, black or white. One of the greatest features of her character, however, is Miss Meadow's gradual turn to acknowledge her womanhood out of her little girl affect and recognition that grey areas exist. Her mature womanhood is manifest in her relationship with the local sheriff, who in one of the more clichéd plot elements finds himself in love with Meadows at first sight, and increasingly confirmed in his knowledge she is a vigilante. She senses the tension, feels a full mature love and sexual attraction, ultimately resulting in pregnancy. Almost simultaneous with her move from shrugging off her self-imposed "spinsterhood", she moves to confront a more thorny dynamic in the approach she takes to a convicted child sex offender recently released to the neighborhood she sees as a probable threat to the very children she is teaching. Up to this point, Miss Meadows has demonstrated her commitment and her lethality in a series of confrontations with a would-be kidnap/rapist, mass murdering active shooter and pedophilic child sexual abuser she dispatches in episodes of immediately escalating and explosive violence befitting a Howard Hawks gun or fist fight in one of his patented Western scenes. The build ups are slow enough to leave no doubt who is in the right and who is in the wrong, and what is about to happen is so certain that it is only the speed with which the climax comes that leaves us wondering if it really has happened so quickly. No better example is offered than that featured in the trailer, as an active shooter Miss Meadows stumbles into contact with in the wake of having killed every person in a restaurant, vacillates between deciding to commit suicide or turn his gun on her, finally saying about his contemplated suicide, "I think I've changed my mind", to which Miss Meadows replies with both determination and contempt, "That is so not an option". She drops him on the next beat. One can think these episodes are too many, too excessive, to pat, too cliché, but the fact is they are designed to serve just that purpose in making the point in our minds: as clear cut and stereotyped as these encounters may be, in our own and Miss Meadows' own minds, the contrast to what happens next. Her clear cut moral understanding leaves her at a loss to know exactly how to handle the newly released child sex offender who has in fact served his sentence, will claim he's changed, and as of yet has not committed any offense "on her watch". It would be wrong to assassinate him preemptively and thus she does not. In an absolutely surreal scene, she pays him a visit and, from a basket, she offers to serve him tea and cakes--exactly like a little girl would offer to do. In turn, he complicates things further by appearing to be as refined in his manners and courtesies as is she, expressing great happiness and thanks to her for welcoming him to the neighborhood and showing him kindness. She knows what he is, what he is capable of, and that it is likely he will seek prey again, but is finally forced to confront the grey area of incipient evil without clear justification to resort to deadly force. Her go/no go decision is cloudy. She makes the effort to influence, persuade, deter this predator; but, his response is to express defiance in the face of her threats with greater charm and reserve than she herself is capable of maintaining. He is in control, she is left not knowing how to respond and for the first time, as she tells her mother who acts as her fundamental guidance system, she is afraid. Her mother seeks to buck her up, and Miss Meadows realizes she must at last find her own true self in an adult world confronting the complex issues facing adults. It is at this point the film is most flawed--a game of cat and mouse ensues, while Mary Meadows vacillates not knowing what to do. Law enforcement, her predator nemesis and reality all seem to be closing in on her simultaneously. She is torn between her desire to protect her unborn child and seek the life she's always wanted, and her mission to protect the children and larger society by "doing what we can". Sadly, another 15-20 minutes of footage could have been productively used to better develop the dynamic between Meadows and her enemy, before the climax unwinds. The real climax is, perhaps, that Miss Meadows finally completes herself, grown up.In the end, there are numerous flaws and disappointments which come to mind only because the movie was otherwise a good one, and had greater potential. The Miss Meadows character could be a classic in presenting a contrast between the little girl affect, skipping through hopscotch in patent leather tap shoes and prim outfits, and the rather refined woman who reads poetry on her walks home, dances and reflects a deep wisdom in her conversation while confidently wielding a pistol from her purse and knows how to use it. In contrast to the realist dramatic presentation of vigilantism in films like Francesca Eastwood's M.F.A., this is dark absurdist satire with a very memorable character at its center. I would have preferred a different approach to the ending entirely. I would have liked a better developed back story and better developed plotting leading to the film's climax, but it's not a bad show.

I try to watch movies with a limited budget, and this one is no exception. This movie offers some outstanding performances and a unique viewpoint in addition to being entertaining. It's a truly awesome movie. It offers an original but compelling premise, a strong script, and a fantastic cast.Although though I wouldn't necessarily categorize this gloomy hidden gem as humor, I thought it was incredibly thought provoking. Actually, the roots of it are tragedy and mental illness.I only wish there had been a little more narrative development in the second half of the movie and the ending because Katie did a good job with this complex character. Nonetheless, as a whole, I did appreciate the film.

Katie Holmes jumps into bed with the sheriff and I'm thinking she's a big skank. Turns out that judgement was unfair since she marries the guy. Anyway, she carries a gun at all times and delivers instant justice to some people that have it coming. Does this movie stand up to the legendary Death Wish movies? All I know is if there's a Miss Meadows II, I'm stoked.

one of those shows that you just like to rewatch a lot.Katie is hot. reminds me of some of my old girl friends.

Miss Meadows 2014 I wanted to take a look at a low budget film that I could watch on Amazon streaming, so I did. I spent no money but devoted an hour and a half to viewing “Miss Meadows.” And I liked it, at least I liked it a lot more than Rotten Tomatoes did. They ranked it at 25% fresh, which is a smidgen over one star in the traditional five-star ranking system. I would give it a three-star average rating. Star Katie Holmes is fun, perky, and quirky. She plays a school teacher who has her own clothing style (modest, pretty, and wholesome), wears taps on her shoes, dances through life, and shoots a potential rapist in the first minutes of the film. Holmes really pulls it off in a performance that must have pleased her immensely. She looks like she is enjoying herself. A newcomer to a community near Cleveland Ohio, the nature-loving nut meets and charms the local sheriff. While teaching, dating, engaging in long phone talks with her mom, she also shoots a guy who has just wiped out the customers and staff at a local eatery. So far both her kills have been righteous in that the perp drew down on her first. We gradually discover her life story, which explains why she puts herself in danger repeatedly and why she has such a strong sense of civic duty. Writer/director Karen Leigh Hopkins has only one other feature film on her sheet. She leaves us with neither a vivid personal sense of her style nor a list of shocking faults. In my world, that is exactly what I want in a director. I do not watch a movie to appreciate the stylistic silks of a director. I want to focus on the story, action, and the actors. I think this $2,000,000 budget film went right to DVD and streaming with little or no side trips to theatrical release, at least I couldn't find any record of such. It runs for one hour and 27 minutes with no rating at all. There is a sex scene where the people are dressed and no skin peeps through. This is a cute little film and I thought it fun to watch. It had a surprise at the end that I did not expect but liked.

When actors produce movies we get very different movies. Different from Hollywood versions. This slice of life with a tilted twist movie and an understated romance marry with the dark memories of a childhood lost to violence. We really don't know who anyone is until they choose to reaveal what made them who they are today.

I actually really enjoyed this.

"Rache ist süß" ist etwas daneben gegriffen als deutscher Untertitel, denn um Rache geht es gar nicht, sondern um Selbstjustiz. Der schön schräge Film, der beim Tribeca-Filmfestival das Licht der Welt erblickte, bekam ja viel Schelte von Kritik und Publikum, mir gefällt er. Die Amerikanerin Karen Leigh Hopkins (hat auch das Drehbuch verfasst), eine Anfängerin in ihrem Metier, bürstet verschiedene Genres munter und respektlos gegen den Strich und wird politisch herrlich unkorrekt ("Politisch korrekt ist nur was für die Politiker", belehrt die belesene Aushilfslehrerin ihren zunehmend verliebter werdenden Sheriff). Hat sie da so ganz unrecht? Die Justiz bekommt das Verbrechen in seinen verschiedensten Ausprägungen nicht mehr in den Griff und so greift Miss Meadows buchstäblich ein und in ihre Handtasche.......Irgendjemand muss ja für Recht und Ordnung in der Provinz sorgen, wenn die Staatsorgane es nicht mehr können. Das anständige Mädchen mordet mit Moral. So bleibt die bonbonbunte Welt zwischen hüpfenden Rehen und blühenden Gärten zumindest nach außen hin "heil". Die Botschaft ist vielleicht etwas gefährlich in diesen für Populismus anfälligen Zeiten, wird aber derart überdreht und grotesk sowie mit augenzwinkerndem Hintersinn dargeboten, dass sie wohl kaum an die falschen Adressen gerät.Miss Meadows ist auf ihre verpeilte und gleichzeitig clevere Art eine sehr spezielle und eigenwillige Feministin, vielleicht mögen daher sehr viele männliche Zuschauer den Film nicht, kann sein. An einer Stelle im Film fällt die Bezeichnung "Pulp Fiction Mary Poppins" und das trifft es ganz gut:-). Irgendwann erfahren wir auch, was es mit den kleinmädchenhaften Outfits und den Dauertelefonaten mit ihrer ähnlich gestrickten fernen Mama auf sich hat. Und da wird es dann ganz traurig mit Tempotaschentuch-Alarm. Das drohende Psychodrama fängt der Film allerdings schnell wieder mit neuen "Streichen" der Lehrerin auf Abwegen auf. Ob ihr akkordeonspielender und etwas entscheidungsschwacher Sheriff - James Dadge Bale als das völlige Gegenbild von einem Macho und daher genau der richtige Partner für die traumatisierte Miss - die geliebte Dame seines Herzens auf Dauer in den Griff bekommt?Katie Holmes, das ewige Mädchen mit dem liebreizenden Lächeln, spielt ihre Rolle überraschend gut und locker, mit viel Spaß an der Sache und leisen Zwischentönen. Klamaukig oder schrill wird sie keine Sekunde, sondern behält immer Haltung. Hätte ich ihr ehrlich gesagt nicht zugetraut. Warum der Film ab 16 ist? - vielleicht wegen der einen kleinen, sehr bösen Szene mit dem Priester und dem kleinen Jungen.....Fazit: Der Film versucht eigene Wege zu gehen und macht das recht frisch und munter, schräg und nicht immer politisch korrekt und zu 100 Prozent perfekt. Mir gefällt er und ich habe mich prächtig amüsiert.

Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is an elementary school teacher with an apparent heart of gold. She also has a zero tolerance approach to ne'er do wells and exacts righteous justice using a hand gun. Then she starts a relationship with the town's sheriff (James Badge Dale) and her whole life gets turned upside down which leads her to face up to the past as the inevitability of the future looms ever nearer.Now I rather enjoyed this `quirky' film, it has a sort of charm and is very stylish - especially Miss Meadows - she even has `clothes on sex', but is has been criticised for being right wing. The idea that there is only one way to deal with wrong doers and that is by taking a leaf out of Draconia's handbook.The way it is presented does have a hint of unbeliveability about it and I thought it may have been a spoof like say `Super' nearly was. It though does not play for laughs or satire and is a basic relationship film and so does not mange to hit the right notes - which is a pity as everyone in it does a really good job and it is an easy and a short watch. If in doubt go for rentals this is not one that will benefit from subsequent viewings.

... but not one I'd want to watch more than once :)

Ingénue ou sociopathe? Qu'importe! Quelle "drôle" de femme; quel "drôle" de film! Mes soeurs et moi avons adoré, rien de moins! Livraison très rapide! Merci!

Great movie.