The Glass Castle (2017)

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton | 127 minutes | drama, biography | Actors: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson, Chandler Head, Max Greenfield, Josh Caras, Charlie Shotwell, Iain Armitage, Sarah Snook, Sadie Sink, Olivia Kate Rice, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Shree Crooks, Eden Grace Redfield Robin Bartlett, Joe Pingue, AJ Henderson, Dominic Bogart

What are the bare minimum needs of a growing child? Food, drink, safety, love? Rex and Rose Mary Walls’ family of four children lacks at least three of the four requirements. Based on the true life story of Jeannette Walls, ‘The Glass Castle’ is a poignant film about the unconditional bond between her, her eccentric father and – to a slightly lesser extent – ​​mother, brother and two sisters. Destin Daniel Cretton (director of the incomparable ‘Short Term 12’) based the screenplay on the book by Jeannette Walls herself.

Jeannette grew up in the sixties and seventies. She has an unconditional and rock-solid faith in her father, who comes up with the most fantastic things. One of the most comprehensive ideas he has is that he is going to build a glass castle, where the whole family – after many wanderings – will finally take up residence. But Jeannette has to exercise a lot of patience for that. Rex always finds a way out. The location is not good, the right materials not available… Would the glass castle ever come, or will it remain a dream for this family?

Apart from some flashbacks, ‘The Glass Castle’ can be roughly divided into three parts. The beginning is about Jeannette’s youngest childhood, in which she, her brother Brian and sisters Lori and Maureen are raised in an irresponsible, but – if it suits the parents – loving way. For example, in one of the first scenes of the film, Rose Mary is busy with a painting when Jeannette announces that she is hungry. Instead of looking after her child, Rose Mary instructs her toddler daughter to make her own food. When Jeannette is standing on a chair by the stove, her dress catches fire, with all its consequences.

In the second part of ‘The Glass Castle’, Jeannette is older and wiser. Although her faith in her father has not yet shown any major cracks, she sees that his biggest problem – and therefore also of the family living in poverty – is his alcohol addiction. At her request, he tries to kick the habit, but still gets a relapse. As a teenager, following the example of her older sister, she increasingly rejects him and eventually moves to New York for training and finally a job as a journalist.

Brie Larson plays the grown-up Jeannette. She is apparently nothing like the curious, adventurous child of the past. But the last part of ‘The Glass Castle’ teaches us that family ties are sometimes also about acceptance and that forgiveness is not always necessary. Cretton appears to have a nose for the right casting, because Woody Harrelson as Rex is phenomenal, as is Naomi Watts in the role of Rose Mary. The young children are also very believable, especially Ella Anderson’s acting performance deserves a special mention. She knows how to show the two sides of her love for her father very well.

‘The Glass Castle’ fits in well with films about dysfunctional families, such as ‘The Family Fang’ and ‘Captain Fantastic’. Emotional story about a remarkable family. You will not hold them close to your heart, but neither will you forget them.