
"Life Inside Out" tells the parallel stories of Laura, a devoted mother of three teenage sons, and her struggling son Shane, the family misfit and a mystery to his Dad and brothers. When Laura stumbles upon her long forgotten guitar, she rediscovers her passion for music and songwriting. In an impulsive move to avoid attending another of her sister Lydia's scrapbook parties, Laura goes to her first open mic night, taking Shane (anxious to escape his own unpleasant fate on a f... (Full plot summary below)
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"Life Inside Out" tells the parallel stories of Laura, a devoted mother of three teenage sons, and her struggling son Shane, the family misfit and a mystery to his Dad and brothers. When Laura stumbles upon her long forgotten guitar, she rediscovers her passion for music and songwriting. In an impulsive move to avoid attending another of her sister Lydia's scrapbook parties, Laura goes to her first open mic night, taking Shane (anxious to escape his own unpleasant fate on a father-son fishing trip) along for the ride. Despite her rocky entry into a new world of clubs and unusual characters, this first step into expressing herself proves to be the catalyst for changing not only her life, but Shane's, in complex and unpredictable ways.
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| Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinEngaging, naturalistic performances and nicely explored real-world issues add to this absorbing film's down-to-earth appeal. |
| Village VoiceNick SchagerStrong, understated performances from Baird and O'Connell bring real intimacy to their characters' sometimes-strained mother-son dynamic. |
| Common Sense MediaRenee SchonfeldHeartfelt look at mother-son bonding through love of music. |
| Spirituality and PracticeFrederic and Mary Ann BrussatTouching story of mother and her son who discover that music is a healing balm. |
| The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThis low-key drama so insistently resists epiphanies that it verges on bland. |
| The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe earnest film’s straightforwardness and down-to-earth characters — especially the lead performance by Maggie Baird — have a gentle appeal, but its tendency to spell out every emotion and theme in on-the-nose dialogue undercuts its potential impact at nearly every turn. |
| User ReviewCarole SI took my 11-year-old daughter to see this movie. Afterwards I asked her what the movie was about.The difficulties of being a teenager or living with one? The tremendous love of a mother for her child? The pitfalls of mid-life when you realize that you once had dreams? Is the movie about music and the great joy provided by it? Is it about the relationship of a mother and her teenage son? Is it about not giving up on your dreams no matter what age you are? My daughter said "yes" to all of these. While the storyline is predictable I loved that it was not overdone - Shane did not "get" the girl in the end or a record contract, what he did get was more confidence and the sense of possibilities for his life and that made him happy. And Laura as well. Dreams change. When we become parents our kids' dreams become ours, too. As a side note, the fact that one of the twins' girlfriend was black, and Shane's love interest of mixed-race heritage yet no particular mention was ever made of this was not lost on me. It sent a subtle but powerful message of diversity and oneness that filled my heart with warmth. Sibylle Westbrook, Los Angeles |
| User ReviewKaren CI remember when I was fourteen, life was confusing and my head was mostly buried in books. This movie finds Shane in a post-soccer period of transition to adolescence. As he is searching, his mother feels stuck. She is unemployed with a stressed overworked husband and three teenagers. Then music steps in. I loved the simplicity of the story and the way the different family relationship dynamics unfold. When music is its own character, like in Once or August Rush, it captures my attention. As an acoustic guitar beginner, I was amused by the rapid progress of Shane and songwriting of his mother. But otherwise, the feeling he expressed in his song lyrics were universal. |
| User ReviewSusan HA tender, family drama about the power of music and love...in the mode of Mr. Holland's Opus. |
| User ReviewJerry CLovely story, well acted and the original music and vocals are sensational! |