If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Yes, Jessica Chastain can act, and does so very well in 'Jolene', but that doesn't make this a good film, necessarily. In episodes, the viewer witnesses the (bad) choices she makes and what harm comes to her. There seems to be no redeeming quality to any of it, from her early days of abuse (this begins before she gets married, but is captured in just a single voice-over sentence) to her final false (?, I can only assume; the movie ends there) dream of being a movie star and reclaiming her child... The resilience of Jolene's character is both impressive and hard to watch. And to learn that big money (the Tulsa parents) is seemingly the only way to (finally) find out about Jolene's past and get her back in touch with the 'proper authorities' is a confrontation with an utterly sad truth, let alone with the equally sad fact that the rich Tulsa husband (among others) can get away with such violence.But why tell such a story? I would guess to tell the tragic life story of a young woman, put in a few life lessons for young, fragile women, criticize certain life styles and institutions...? Yes, I think I could get that, but as I tried to explain before, things are off. Jolene doesn't learn, bad folks get away with their mischief, and institutions too. In the end she escapes once again into a sad fantasy - where will she go from there? On top of that, some parts tend to the exploitation genre (while this film is trying hard to fit the drama genre, I believe) and the separate episodes are mostly rather shallow, stating facts in an up tempo manner.I still can't get my head around all of it, and / but I don't know if that is a good thing or not... 6 out of 10 for now.Oh, and this was based on a fictional tale with the same title, which was in turn based on the song 'Jolene'. And yes, that, in turn, was based on something, too.

I don't see what the point of this film was or understand how it was so highly rated or acclaimed. It was at terrible movie with a young girl who was terribly misguided, repeatedly degraded and exploited throughout her entire life. Despite any better judgment, she never learns, never overcomes, and ends with her smiling as she thinks of some delusional fantasy that, based on the story, will never happen. It's clear this was written and directed by men because it's all exploitation, violence against women, and gratuitous nudity. The only reason I watched this is because I recognized some actors' names but wow, so disappointed I wasted the time to watch this.

This 2008 film brought us Jessica Chastain, last year's supporting actress nominee for "The Help" in a totally memorable performance as a girl who matures despite the horrific life experiences she endures.Scarlett O'Hara had 3 husbands and Jolene goes from situation to situation, with disastrous results each time. Still, by the end of the film, she is resolute in her attempt to make something of her self.Definitely the product of a bad environment, Jolene faces life as it seems to continuously slap her in the face. She goes from one bad circumstance to another with an assortment of bad husbands, boyfriends and a world that seems to be against her.

As a foster kid tossed from home-to-home throughout southern Louisiana only to land with hard-earned education in Boston working at Harvard Medical School and living in the penthouse of the Ritz, I can tell you that I identify with this movie. There is something luring about the disenfranchised vulnerable that makes beautiful for predators (even well-intended predators with good intentions)- mark. I am most curious to learn where and with whom the author did his research to accurately reflect the subtle, but violent truths of this character Jolene. He captures the dichotomy of her seeming power but destined powerlessness with piercing accuracy.