Loretta, played by Alfre Woodard, is an unemployed mother of two children, one who is autistic. The father has disappeared and Loretta is more into drugs than trying to sustain a decent family life. Her mother, tortured by her duaghter's destructive path, has seen enough and sends Loretta and her two children to Uncle Earl, portrayed by Al Freeman, Jr. Earl lives in the Delta and runs a successful restaurant, but he has his own struggles as well. His wife, Annie, has Alzheimer's.

It was so good to see a strong, nurturing African-American man in a movie. It's rare. Uncle Earl is a wonderful model for all young men with his caring, his deep compassion for his family and his willingness to go the extra mile for what he believes in.

From the visually impaired point of view: This movie starts out with abrupt scene changes and scattered dialogue. It's initially confusing and almost immediately calls for descriptions from a sighted assistant. Things settle down, however, and except for a few minor scenes without dialogue, a few brief flashbacks and a five-minute song that hooks up all the flashbacks together at the end of the movie, the bulk of the picture is relaxing and enjoyable. There are seven main characters, but only five have speaking parts. They all have distinct voices. The movie moves slowly after the beginning, a pace that works well.

There were quite a few visual subleties in this movie that we who are visually impaired will miss, however I'll still give this one an 8 and encourage you to check it out. It's a good one.