I have come to prefer Wiig in non-comedic roles, as hers here. She is perfect for this role.
Kristen Wiig is Johanna Parry, a domestic worker, caregiver, housekeeper, cook. A simple woman who is also perhaps too trusting of others. As the movie opens we see her with an elderly woman who soon dies in her sleep and Johanna calmly dresses her in her preferred blue dress before calling to report the death.
Her next job is for Hailee Steinfeld as Sabitha, living in Iowa with her grandfather, Nick Nolte as Mr. McCauley. Her mother has died and her dad, Guy Pearce as Ken, has a prison record for alcohol and drugs and was in fact driving under the influence when his wife was killed. He is not welcome in the family and stays in Chicago.
The "spark" of this story starts when Ken is visiting, Johanna has just arrived, and they all go out for hamburgers. Days later when Sabitha gets a letter from her dad, inside is a note for Johanna, a simple note saying he enjoyed meeting her. She writes back and makes the error of trusting Sabitha and her friend to mail it for her. Instead they open it, make fun of her, begin fake correspondence from Ken, then make a fake email account.
Johanna never had love in her life and falls totally for what she thinks are letters from Ken, and apparently asking her to join him in Chicago. Which she does, much to his surprise. They soon figure out the girls were behind all this but instead of getting angry Johanna makes the best of the situation, cleans Ken's place, cares for him when he develops a fever, cooks for him. He soon becomes attached to her.
A manifestation of the old song lyric, "If you can't be with the one you love then love the one you're with."
A bit slow to develop, patience is rewarded. A good movie.
Kristen Wiig is Johanna Parry, a domestic worker, caregiver, housekeeper, cook. A simple woman who is also perhaps too trusting of others. As the movie opens we see her with an elderly woman who soon dies in her sleep and Johanna calmly dresses her in her preferred blue dress before calling to report the death.
Her next job is for Hailee Steinfeld as Sabitha, living in Iowa with her grandfather, Nick Nolte as Mr. McCauley. Her mother has died and her dad, Guy Pearce as Ken, has a prison record for alcohol and drugs and was in fact driving under the influence when his wife was killed. He is not welcome in the family and stays in Chicago.
The "spark" of this story starts when Ken is visiting, Johanna has just arrived, and they all go out for hamburgers. Days later when Sabitha gets a letter from her dad, inside is a note for Johanna, a simple note saying he enjoyed meeting her. She writes back and makes the error of trusting Sabitha and her friend to mail it for her. Instead they open it, make fun of her, begin fake correspondence from Ken, then make a fake email account.
Johanna never had love in her life and falls totally for what she thinks are letters from Ken, and apparently asking her to join him in Chicago. Which she does, much to his surprise. They soon figure out the girls were behind all this but instead of getting angry Johanna makes the best of the situation, cleans Ken's place, cares for him when he develops a fever, cooks for him. He soon becomes attached to her.
A manifestation of the old song lyric, "If you can't be with the one you love then love the one you're with."
A bit slow to develop, patience is rewarded. A good movie.