Sleepwalking (2008) R - 2½ Stars

Adaptation of when parents do bad things, the children are the ones who suffer. The casting is the only part of the production that is good, especially Nick Stahl, but to me, the movie never takes direction, gets really slow and looses momentum to finish the story. You have to look beyond to find it's true meaning. It could have been a touching movie as you feel for Tara, I just feel better editing may have gotten the message across.

Tara (AnnaSophia Robb), has about the worse type of mom you can have. Joleen (Charlize Theron), had her priorities mixed up and cares more for her boyfriend that has just been arrested for pot, then her 12 year old daughter.
In fact so mush so, Joleen places Tara in foster care so Joleen can run away from her problems. James (Nick Stahl), Joleen's brother, feels for Tara and even though his life is screwed up, he helps by breaking Tara out of foster care. As they assume new identities of father and daughter and no where else to go, James reluctantly takes Tara to his father's (Dennis Hopper) ranch that he and Joleen grew up on. But the farm does not bring back happy memories for James. In fact, James own abusive childhood is what makes him more determined to try and change things for Tara and not have her end up like the dysfunctional wrecks he and his sister have become.

Denver & Delilah Films, FilmEngine, WJS, Infinity Features, Icon Productions, Overture Films
Directors: William Maher, Bill Maher
Writer: Zac Stanford
Producers: J.J. Harris, Rob Merilees, Charlize Theron

I viewed 6/09