The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jim H

  
  A housewife keeps her family from sinking into bankruptcy by winning ad-writing contests. The main plot line of this film, a productive and almost optimistic response to fifties patriarchal oppression, becomes obvious early on. But Evelyn Ryan's bright-eyed responses to her… More
  A housewife keeps her family from sinking into bankruptcy by winning ad-writing contests. The main plot line of this film, a productive and almost optimistic response to fifties patriarchal oppression, becomes obvious early on. But Evelyn Ryan's bright-eyed responses to her husband's insecure harangues make it hard to sympathize with her. How long can we scream, "Leave the bastard" at the screen until we give up on her plight? But just when it gets to be oppressive, she says, "Your job is not to make me happy, but to stay away from me when I am." Could there be a more heart-breaking thing for a wife to say to her husband? Julianne Moore's performance was, of course, awful, and she shares the blame with the script for making Evelyn a tiring character. Woody Harrelson doesn't rise to the level of being a malevolent force, but his character has nuances, moments of compassion mixed with his fits of outrage. Overall, I thought there was some things to like about <i>The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio</i> - it's an interesting story that has flashes of brillance - but Moore's performance and some structural problems make it ultimately a disappointment.

• erika b

  
  The prize Winner of defiance, Ohio Is about Dysfunctional family trying to make ends meet. The father is abusive and has a drink problem that laeve the family with out money. The mother enters contests to money to make end meet. Will the family be able to staying one place or will the… More
  The prize Winner of defiance, Ohio Is about Dysfunctional family trying to make ends meet. The father is abusive and has a drink problem that laeve the family with out money. The mother enters contests to money to make end meet. Will the family be able to staying one place or will the have to move? Pros Good acting and plot. Can be funny at times. Cons Could be slow at times. i

• Everett J

  
  This is a very interesting, off-beat dramedy with 2 Academy Award worthy performances. Julianne Moore gives one of her best performances(she has a lot of good ones to choose from) as a mother who wins a ton of contests in the 1950's to help support her family of ten kids. She… More
  This is a very interesting, off-beat dramedy with 2 Academy Award worthy performances. Julianne Moore gives one of her best performances(she has a lot of good ones to choose from) as a mother who wins a ton of contests in the 1950's to help support her family of ten kids. She really lights the screen with her positive outlook and radiant smile. Woody Harrelson plays her alcoholic husband who has a hard time coping with life. He plays the character perfectly, as you hate the way he treats her, but you feel sorry for him. This movie reminded me of another little gem of a flick called "Waitress." They're very different, but the tone and the way the story is told is pretty similar. Geared more towards women, but there's enough here for guys to like as well. Emily stayed awake the whole time and really enjoyed it. If she stays awake through an entire movie in the evening, then it's a winner! :-p

• Drew S

  
  The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio chugs right along for a great majority of its running time as a primally effective but generally repetitive and nothing-new tearjerker about the strength of a mother's love. It seems to hit all its big story beats multiple times with no real… More
  The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio chugs right along for a great majority of its running time as a primally effective but generally repetitive and nothing-new tearjerker about the strength of a mother's love. It seems to hit all its big story beats multiple times with no real variance between each one; we see Woody Harrelson being a drunk abusive douchebag several times, we see Julianne Moore sacrificing a personal luxury for the sake of her children several times, etc. In other words, we really aren't seeing much, but the movie's constant melodrama and the strong execution of these personal tragedies at least keeps it from being totally uneventful. It's over the top, but Moore is on hand to make sure it's lively. Harrelson seems inappropriately cast and anachronistic; I really don't think he works well in drama, short of The Messenger. The ending, on the other hand, completely dismantles everything. It's an icky "everything's gonna be all right" coda resting itself on the power of Harrelson's atonement, which is weak as piss. For what I'm assuming to be a proto-feminist period piece, the notion that Evelyn Ryan could shield herself from the pain of an abusive marriage with a day trip to Texas and a fistful of money is borderline insulting. This may be because the movie is exponentially more comfortable with depicting Kelly Ryan as a monstrous, imprudent, emasculated drunk than as a loving father or husband, washing out any of his sympathetic traits and making him less of an "antagonist" so much as a straight-out "villain." The movie's feints at Evelyn recognizing the pain and injustice of her situation - a couple of off-handed lines, a scathing remark pointed at Kelly - are the most interesting parts of the movie, but sadly her refusal to change her milieu for the sake of her or her kids makes her seem flat-out dumb. There's sacrifice, which we see the character work through many times through the course of the movie, and then there's saccharine martyrdom. The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio isn't an utter waste of time, but it just gets more and more infuriating right up to the ending, which in addition to its previously-discussed problems is packed with some "and here they are now!" gimmickry. It's cheap and sentimental and utterly worthless, much like Moore's fourth-wall shattering narration, but it becomes apparent very quickly that the movie isn't really bothering with subtlety. When you have the services of one of our greatest dramatic actresses on hand and all you really ask of her is to giggle with bittersweet longing and cry on command exactly once, tricks that Moore could do in her sleep, there's an obvious waste of potential there. She does it beautifully, of course, but all it does is bring attention to the movie's true lack of substance or psychological complexity.

• Red L

  
  I guess this movie was OK. Not to fault the actors or anything; they were fine. Good to Evelyn for holding her family together. It is just that I will have forgotten I'd ever seen this movie in two weeks time.

• Curtis L

  
  Woody Harrelson is awesome in this movie as a drunken crappy father. "I'm a chump in a slump, and I live in a dump. SANDWICH." Other wise, the rest of the movie was some inspirational overcoming adverstiy story that I failed to pay attention to.

• jay n

  
  Love Julianne Moore but this was very average

• Wildaly M

  
  Not many will be compelled to watch this or be touched by it but I could say it is one of the few films that has absolutely touched me and sent me to genuine sobs by the end of it. It is based on a real story but more than that it relates to hundreds of stories. This film shows us the… More
  Not many will be compelled to watch this or be touched by it but I could say it is one of the few films that has absolutely touched me and sent me to genuine sobs by the end of it. It is based on a real story but more than that it relates to hundreds of stories. This film shows us the real worth and strength of a mother who faces many odds and manages to overcome all obstacles and proudly raise her children. I highly recommend it.

• Leigh R

  
  Cute true story about battling to stay afloat.

• Rico Z

  
  Another great Julianne Moore performance in a another film that sort of came-and-went! As a contest-enterer and occasional prizewinner myself, I can identify completely with Moore's character in this film. It also touches on lots of family themes: responsibility, hope for a… More
  Another great Julianne Moore performance in a another film that sort of came-and-went! As a contest-enterer and occasional prizewinner myself, I can identify completely with Moore's character in this film. It also touches on lots of family themes: responsibility, hope for a better future and being able to provide for a large family despite being a housewife and having a bi-polar husband. This movie will really inspire some and even make you shed a tear or two. Oh yeah-- and it's all based on a true story!

• Dannielle A

  
  What an adorable family story! Well told, beautiful costumes and sets, and incredible acting. This was a true gem among the crappy movies made these days. A refreshing change. Very enjoyable. Go back to family values and learn some lessons while being entertained. :-)

• Sunil J

  
  Julianne Moore has never been this loveable. A heartwarming movie about getting by in the 50s.

• Leo L

  
  A great film!

• Sarah P

  
  Shows a time that many of us don't remember or didn't live through. Very sad, but also hopefull.

• Kevin M

  
  Julianne Moore impresses me in most of her roles, but this film portrays a prize-chasing, nearly destitute family as true winners. Odd themes involving marriage and annoying, pretentious jingle-writing. On the bright side, Laura Dern never looked so gorgeous.

• FanGirl B

  
  A story of an amazing woman. I only wish I could be half as graceful as this woman was.

Read all 16 featured audience ratings