Tamara Anderson (Katie Boland) is a teenage girl in the 1950s who has to be more of an adult than her years give her. Her artist father Stuart (Stuart Wilson) paints a lot so he is distracted. Her mother Liz (Alberta Watson) runs the household that includes Tamara and 2 younger children. They are also a liberal family in a small rural town.
Tamara even meets a boy, Rusty Murphy (Kevin Zegers) and they start a relationship.
Liz develops tuberculosis. This changes the dynamic where Tamara takes on a lot more responsibility.
Some Things That Stay, aka Run Away Home, is a Canadian film you want to love more than you do. This film has the feel of a TV-movie where scenes fade to black like we are in a commercial break. This isn't a film with high production values.
The story is pretty decent from Catherine Gourdier (screenplay) and Sarah Willis (novel). There are some plot holes that are relatively minor. The ghost of the boy who lived there before is there because of the novel but feels like too much within the film. Katie Boland carries the film, which is good for director Gail Harvey and the crew. Alberta Watson is also wonderful though her role uses less energy after the TB diagnosis.
The liberal/conservative angle is intriguing as the family feel like outsiders in their new community.
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The film is worth a shot if you are looking for a clean, coming of age film where family is important. Search for either title to increase your chances of finding the 2004 film.
The film is available in the United States on fawesome.tv.
video credit: Prospero Pictures
photo credit: Some Things That Stay
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