| Georgia (1995 Film) |
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''Georgia'' is a 1995 American independent movie starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Mare Winningham . In the film, Leigh played Sadie Flood, a Punk y barroom singer who has a complicated, jealous but loving relationship with her older sister, Georgia, played by Winningham. Georgia is a successful, talented and well-adjusted Folk Music singer and a happily married mother of two. Sadie is passionate but self-destructive and untalented. While she seeks fame, she destroys herself through drug and alcohol abuse. Although the movie focuses largely on Sadie, it was apparently titled ''Georgia'' because Sadie defines her own identity so much through her older sister. -style gut howl at an AIDS Benefit Concert . It's a scene that some viewers found mesmerizing while others found it insufferable. The film was a very personal project for Jennifer Jason Leigh: it was written by her mother, Barbara Turner , Leigh and Turner co-produced it themselves, and she chose as her co-star her longtime real-life friend Mare Winningham , whom she had known since the age of 13. It was directed by Ulu Grosbard , a friend of her mother's. ''Georgia'' was released in the U.S. on December 8, 1995. It received a highly positive critical reception. Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today described the film as "a painful though sadly humorous portrait of sisterhood," and Roger Ebert said ''Georgia'' was "a complex, deeply knowledgeable story about a truly lost soul and her downward spiral" in his 3.5/4-star review. Peter Travers of '' Rolling Stone '' said “''Georgia'' is Leigh’s high-wire act, and her fierce, funny, exasperating and deeply affecting portrayal commands attention.” James Berardinelli of ''Reel Views'' praised it as “a tour de force for Leigh... there are times when it's uncomfortable to watch this performance because it's so powerful”, adding “''Georgia'' doesn't possess an amazingly original narrative, but what distinguishes this picture is the depth of the characters and the amazing power with which the two leads breathe life into them.” Kenneth Turan of the '' Los Angeles Times '' said “Leigh’s exceptional performance tears you apart… we’ve never seen anything like it before”, adding that "''Georgia'' is not an easy film, but in the American independent arena, it outperforms everything in sight.” It was also voted one of 1995’s ten best films by Interview , New York Post , Detroit Free Press , Los Angeles Daily News and ABC Radio Network. Jennifer Jason Leigh was voted the year’s grabbed me at the Academy Awards . She said, 'Jennifer should be here!' and I said, 'I know!'” When Leaving Las Vegas star Elisabeth Shue won her Independent Spirit Award as Best Actress, she personally dedicated it to Leigh’s performance in ''Georgia''. For all its critical acclaim, ''Georgia'' was not as successful commercially, grossing only $2.9 million in the U.S. In the ten years since its release, however, it has picked up a small but devoted cult following. AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
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