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Gena Rowlands, Jacob Tierney, Diana Scarwid, Drake Bell, Denis Leary ... see more see more... , Leo Burmeister , Frances Conroy , Bob Hannah , Stephanie Astalos Jones , Peter McRobbie , Charles Franzen , Virgil Graham Hopkins , Tom Turbiville , Jill Jane Clements

A young boy comes of age in rural Georgia during the 1940s in Terence Davies' challenging, visually powerful drama. Acclaimed for his nostalgic, beautifully photographed reflections on England's past ... read more read more...(The Long Day Closes, Distant Voices, Still Lives), Davies looks beyond his home country to America with this adaptation of a novel by John Kennedy Toole, author of A Confederacy of Dunces. The film is told through the eyes of David (Jacob Tierney), a teenage boy struggling to deal with life in a troubled family. He reflects on his youthful experiences of his father (Denis Leary), an abusive, impoverished worker who disappeared during World War II after enlisting in the army. David is left to care for his increasingly unstable mother (Diana Scarwid) with the help of his Aunt Mae (Gena Rowlands), a lively big band singer. With David's recollections making up the loose plot, The Neon Bible stresses memorably intense images over narrative momentum, with cinematographer Michael Coulter creating sharp, painterly compositions. Some viewers will likely be frustrated by the slow pace and elliptical style, though others may be transfixed by the often stunning photography and poetic approach. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

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45% liked it

435 ratings

Critics

50% liked it

8 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Terence Davies

Release Date: March 1, 1996

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DVD Release Date: August 24, 2004

Stats: 23 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (23)

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Critic Reviews

Jeremy Heilman
March 5, 2002
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com

What it lacks in dramatic thrust is made up for in the momentary (and sometimes sustained) glimpses of brilliance. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 1, 2000
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

An old-fashioned type of coming-of-age film shot by the Englishman, Terence Davies. Full Review

David Stratton
March 26, 2009
David Stratton, Variety

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Kevin Thomas
February 14, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

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Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

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Edward Guthmann
January 1, 2000
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

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Stephen Holden
January 1, 2000
Stephen Holden, New York Times

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Christopher Null
October 1, 2005
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

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Carol Cling
February 20, 2004
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

Jeffrey Westhoff
October 11, 2002
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

No review available.

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