bridgetbishop1692 Simply put...this movie is one of the BEST we've seen in a very long time. I completely disagree with the negative previous reviews, perhaps these folks haven't had to live lives with a handicapped child, which certainly can help one to focus on the truly healthy aspects of this movie. Gently told, it was well worth watching, and if my handicapped child could comprehend? I'd have let him watch it...Not only was the acting excellent, considering the difficult nature of this movie, but we believe that the manner of producing reality was right on. For those who perhaps don't have a handicapped child? I recommend that you find a nursing home where these children are most often housed, and visit. Bring your heart on your sleeve, keep it close. We are unsure IF his mother was reunited with him on a permanent basis, but hope she was.

napierslogs A road trip drama where lost souls are looking for their lost dreams, or as the title suggests, their own love song. The filmmakers used characters who suffer from opposite inflictions to increase the sense of conflict, sympathy, and drama. Jane (Renée Zellweger) is in a wheelchair and Joey (Forest Whitaker) is schizophrenic. Do you feel sorry for them? You should.It's an awfully long journey to somewhere that we, the characters, nor the filmmakers quite know where it is, and all we have to get us there is two people who learn to become more than they are by each using their own strengths. Sound a little prosaic? Sadly, it is.Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects is that "My Own Love Song" is not a truly independent film by new filmmakers trying desperately to break into the industry, nor is it a Hollywood film where they threw in cliché ideas in a desperate attempt to make a dollar. It is by award-winning filmmakers who had access to great actors and original songs by Bob Dylan. Frustrating because it can't be as easily dismissed as one would assume.The plot summary, the title, the poster and DVD cover art all suggest that it will be boring. I can't fault the marketers, it is boring. And that is its ultimate problem. Zellweger is perfect in the role, the messages are all quite respectful, and the idea that this journey is about dreams not about reality could have made it substantial. But "My Own Love Song" doesn't go anywhere very interesting and it takes too long to get there.

Chrysanthepop Writer and director Olivier Dahan may have had sincere intentions behind making 'My Own Love Song' but the problem with the film is that it does not have much to offer in terms of novelty and it relies on several clichés. With the exception of Zellweger's Jane, the characters are either clichés or one-dimensional. Moreover, the film is overly sentimental at times. While I enjoy road movies very much, 'My Own Love Song' does capture the beauty of the American landscape. The camera-work is very good. I enjoyed the animated bird sequence but otherwise it was completely out of place. Renee Zellwegger does an excellent job in portraying Jane Wyatt, a wheelchair-ridden former rockstar who's estranged from her son. In addition, Zellweger proves once again that she can sing beautifully. Forest Whitaker tries the best he could with a poorly written Joey but the actor is unable to do anything new with this character. Yet, I enjoyed most of his scenes with Zellweger. Madeline Zima's Bilie lacks development. Nick Nolte stands out in a small role. Overall, 'My Own Love Song' isn't a bad watch by any means, it just doesn't have anything new to offer.

jules beremsen This movie is part of the "nouvelle vague" in cinema, a more evolved and profound cinema, with deep undergrounds of humanity and courage, with tranquility of sharing and understanding. The analogy with the Wizard of Oz is obvious, since that is where this movie got its roots: three people experiencing different kinds of losses, two of them from Kansas, on a trip to discover the answers they long for - answers they will eventually find in themselves.The director does some terrific job, no matter what they say; he takes all kinds of risks, uses unconventional tools up to the point where a less circumspect and more neophyte viewer would lose track, leaning on extraordinary performances from all actors. The characters are simple, yet sophisticated.For the simple-minded, this movie does not mean much - it's just a road movie with sparkles of unconscious and sentimental movements. Those movements though are instruments of one's true self, as authentic and pathetic and sparkling as any true self is.Way to go for la nouvelle vague!