3 terrific performances in one completely average movie

The first news story I heard this morning was about Ms. Lohan's drunk driving. It's easy to let that distract you as you watch this movie. And is there an actress who brings more personal history to each and every part than Fonda? It doesn't help that some scenes play like a Lifetime made-for-TV movie.

So while I can't say Georgia Rule was a good movie, there were times that I was completely into it. The casting is inspired. You can believe these three are grandmother, mother and daughter. All three (yes, the troubled Lindsay, too) are so good in their roles they do dissolve into this family and you care about whether one of these gals is telling the truth, and whether the other two really do believe her story.

It's also good to see Fonda on screen, and while at first it's jarring to see Cat Ballou as a grandmother, there's also something very positive about it. She's a beautiful woman -- a natural beauty with age spots and crow's feet and hands that have done hard work. It's terrific to see that on the big screen for a change at a time when some actress' faces don't even seem to move.