The Glass Castle is a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Cretton, Andrew Lanham, and Marti Noxon. It is based on Jeannette Walls' 2005 best-selling memoir of the same name. Depicting Walls' childhood, where her family lived in poverty and sometimes as squatters, the film stars Brie Larson as Walls, with Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield, and Sarah Snook in supporting roles.

Firstly, it is only fair to bring attention to the grace in which this film handled complicated matters all at once. This isn't just a film about poverty. This isn't just a film about addiction. This isn't just a film about trauma. This isn't just a film about PTSD. This isn't just a film about the cycle of abuse. This isn't just a film just about forgiveness. I could go on-and-on naming themes this film emcompasses, but I think my point is understood. Out of many of the films I have seen like this one, there aren't many that weave complexity in to their story that aren't overbearing or hard to follow.

Many of the reviews for this movie focus on the content of it as opposed to the representation of it. If you are looking for a movie that is cut-and-dry with characters that you either hate or like, this is a fair warning: This movie isn't the one for you. The rate at which the relationship the characters have with one another changes is realistic; it's fleeting and impossible to put a firm grasp on. Individuals that have been exposed to any form of abuse from a loved one can relate to the complexity that is always meandering in the background despite being uninvited. I would suggest watching this movie with the expectation that it might not be a necessarily "enjoyable" experience, but it is an important one.

The movie isn't a perfect rendition of the book it is off of, but it does well enough in presenting its contents to an audience in a way that is emotionally appropriate. It's fair to say that this movie intentionally leaves some details out and adds in a tiny bit of fiction, but it doesn't take from the emotional pull this film can have on someone with an open mind.

I would recommend!

This is about the Walls Family and their turbulent, unsettled lifestyle. Rex Walls, played by Woody Harrelson, is at once a loving and extremely neglectful father who allows his four children to go for days without food. For awhile the family were roaming around in a battered old car until they settled into a run-down, ramshackle of a house. When Jeannette, played by Brie Larson, was about ten-years old, she was cooking frankfurters one day because her mother was preoccupied with her painting, and her clothes caught fire. She was badly burned on her abdomen. This burn left an indelible mark on her psyche.

Jeanette had her three siblings swear that they would stick together always and they would get out of the misery and abject poverty they were subjected to. Their mother, Rosemary, played by Naomi Watts, neglected her children as much as Rex did. She went along with everything
Rex decided. Rex was always working on a blueprint for a glass castle that he said he would build one day. Jeannette thought Rex was a genius which he may have been. However, Rex never put his intelligence to good use.

Jeanette went to college and then became a journalist and was engaged to David, played by Max Greenfield. They lived in New York, in a beautiful, uptown apartment. Jeanette's parents also moved to New York and were homeless squatting in an abandon building. Jeanette would tell people lies about her parents, claiming her father was an engineer and her mother was an artist. Rex hated David and did not think he was worthy of Jeannette.

The misery and horror that the four Walls children were subjected to in their childhood is unthinkable. To further exacerbate matters, Rex's mother was a pervert and tried to sexually molest Brian, Jeanette's younger brother, when he was a small child. Jeannette and the other children attacked their grandmother when this happened. Jeannette believed that her grandmother may have violated Rex when he was young.

Rex often ranted on and on about the corrupt government system, but never seemed to understand that his children needed proper care. In fact. he thought he cared for his children in his own way.

Woody Harrelson as Rex Walls is outstanding. Brie Larson, as Jeannette is also outstanding. Chandler Head as the young Jeanette is excellent. Naomi Watts is excellent as Rosemary. The supporting cast is outstanding. Photos of the real Rex, Jeanette and her siblings are shown at the end of the film.

I didn't read the book but I can imagine that it's very good. This movie is really good and meaty, full of excellent acting and interesting clashes of emotions. There is one person who simply steals the movie and that is a young girl by the name of Ella Anderson. She is a phenomenal actor, talented way beyond her years at such a young age. She has an extremely bright future ahead of her and her performance blew me away.
But all the performances were full of grit and conviction, and this is one of Woody Harrelson's best roles as the eccentric alcoholic father. He is a desperate dreamer, one who tries so hard to do well but struggles to follow through with most things. Naomi Watts is almost unrecognizable as she floats along as a light-hearted artist and mother who tries her best to hold her family together. Brie Larson is always great in all her movie roles but I can't help thinking that the younger version of her completely outshined her. Ella was simply that good and she deserves an award for her stunning, deeply emotional performance.

This family is dysfunctional to the core and it was wonderful seeing the transformation in the end. This is an excellent movie about a story that deserves to be told (I HAVE to read the book now). Memories and past experiences have a funny way of affecting us in ways we don't expect. There are many lessons to be learned in the Glass Castle. Everything is there for you if you dare to jump out and grab it. But happiness cannot be found through trying to be someone you're not. There must be a balance, and thus is life.â'¡

The setup:

The beginning of this story was interesting, presenting itself in a future time from which the story seems to take place in the synopsis. It follows one of the three(and then four) children of Rex(Woody Harrelson) and Rose(Naomi Watts).

She can definitely hold herself firm in stature and conversation when it comes to speaking with those of higher financial status, yet comes from a world of deprivation growing up.

She seems at this point to be ashamed of her old life with her family, and the flashbacks seems to come in at timely points, flowing well with the story. Meeting her mom shows how she doesn't see the world the same as she did growing up - she grew out of her parents' lousy and simple way of looking at life, and desires now to be more than a road junky running from town to town.

It's interesting, how we already see the title of the film, the reason for it, and yet the fact that it did not come true; not to the point of what one would hope for in their family.

It's already evident, that the family at least, did not succeed to the fullest potential of building their glass castle, (the parents are homeless, the other two kids have not even been mentioned in the film present day) and from this point, it seems we are diving into the adventure and the journey to rock bottom with the end of the road already in sight.

Now we see the rest of the family thirty minutes in - all visiting the parents in their new squatter home, and all conveniently living in the same city of New York. They all have moved onto regular life in one way or another, and the main daughter has conflictions of her own, hiding her soon-to-be marriage from her parents; and we're not even sure if she actually loves him from the fact of her face when her father questions it.

The Characters"¦

Are very intriguing, real, and unique.
They all do a good job(the family) at staying true to their southern roots in accent and gestures. Rex, especially is a character who peaks my interest. He's already had two conflicts with authoritative figures in less than 28 minutes of movie(him being only a part of half of that), and clearly has no remorse, nor does he look as if he'll ever change his ways.

David clearly stands out as different than the family; no backbone to say the least, and probably from a preparatory school, never having had to shovel a pound of dirt in his life.

The Style:

First off I'd like to point out my favorite transition of the film so far:
When David and Jeanette were home after Rex punched him in the face, and he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, but he couldln't have anymore of whatever that was that night with her crazy family and walked out"¦. She tossed her shoes to the suitcase in the room and it cut, synchronizing with a dirty, older pair of her shoes that Rex was throwing in the suitcase, sending them on the move to the next temporary home"¦

Now, I don't know what's going to happen, but based on that, I believe she's going to end it with David, and get back on track with her wily family, attempting to be their 'salvation' if you will.

Other than that, what I like about this film is:
- The grimy, realness of the characters and the settings they find themselves in. There is not a grain of sand nor a dusty mirror too little to signify and coincide with their lifestyles. Everything is worn out.
- The color palette - the brown, tan, and green hues go well with the overall old, film feeling of the hippy road life. I love it.
- The setting: the time era is distinctly different from the present day, the clothing, cars, and people are executed well in their differences in each time period, of her childhood, to present day

Another scene I'd like to point out is the fight scene between Rex and his wife after bringing the family home and going out drinking through the morning. When the fight ensues, we follow the kids(a one shot) all the way to the yard where they begin to play jump rope as we hear screaming in the background upstairs. They do something that the Florida Project executes well, being level with them, showing their perspective and being as one of the children, having to live in fear of that fighting and playing it off like it's another day. Then the fight continues and the wife bursts out the window, and the kids run up after her, only to help her and continue the fight between Rex and Rose, leading to the two crazy dirt bags laughing, leaving the kids in a state of disturbed shock and upset at the scene in front of them. This is the best scene in the movie thus far.

The Dialogue:

The writer does an amazing job with authentic dialogue in this film.

When one of the girls confronts Rose about her father Rex, rather than responding to the comment, that she has to leave him, she responds with possibly her fondest memory of him, and the qualities that shine brightest in him: His fight for her, his bravery to stand up and stand out, and his passion for her personal artwork.

Only then, after the second time of emphasis on the fact that Rex is not going to change and that she must leave him, do the soft words of "I can't" slip out of her mouth.

The relationships' evolution:

This movie has continued to impress me with the deep intertwindedness between each character in this family. I believe the way each child has evolved into their own being(the fact that the youngest, who was never a part of the family/growing up scenes moving out perfectly fits her outcast style, punk-ish while the rest of the children have become relatively normal looking - upper class) has certainly impacted story in that they were successful for the most part, in making a life for themselves.

The parents are now dependent and even begging, sneakliy for money from Jeannette and her fiance.

In each of these flashbacks, we are constantly not only reminded of the poor drunk Rex is, but the fact that he's delusional in his efforts to plan out and build this "glass house". I believe he sticks to this to try and keep the kids in that childlike, awe state, thus never being able to leave him for the fact of being attached to this childhood dream.

Yet, in the event of finding out the fact of Rex's illness and soon-to-be death; Jeannette decides against seeing her father after meeting with her mother and siblings about it, to go ahead and be with David for his high class dinner for a possible bank deal. Prior to this scene you see the flashback of Rex saving the day with cold hard cash from poker so that she might not have to drop out of school - and she's torn up in the ride with David, deciding to not see her dad. I presume she'll leave the dinner and flee to see him before his timely death"¦

Well she did, after putting herself in the box we finally see her break free from the mess she got herself into with David. The flashbacks go back full swing with Rex, showing how awesome of a dad he was despite his drunkenness, and how much Jeannette appreciates and loves him despite his flaws.

Conclusion:

The wrap up of this movie was fantastic. Jeannette ended at a place of doing what she loves, freelance writing, and the family was back together. They reminisced about good ole Rex, and had a blast simply eating thanksgiving dinner together. Then it went to the real people, the real story, the old photographs and recordings of Rex, Rose, and the kids. Up until the end I didn't realize it was a true story and based off of a book. I'll most definitely be revisiting this film for entertainment, studying, and admiring. Amazing production.

Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts are brilliant in the roles of two dysfunctional narcissistic parents. I really liked this movie but kept in mind the neglect and emotional damage inflicted on their children. It was perhaps their love, however misguided and haphazard, that encouraged the children to not only pursue their dreams but put them into action. It is sugarcoated and made more alluring than hunger, homelessness and alcoholism can ever be. The children are the real superstars in this movie for combatting more demons than most of us can imagine. Yet their love for their father is evident. No matter how many flaws exist in a vessel their are always the perfections, too. A not so beautiful story made so by brilliant acting and production.