SunnyHello Nice effects though.

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

edwagreen I loved Colin Firth's southern drawl in this interesting 2010 film.Yes, Ellen Burstyn is elderly here but at least she is not crotchety and ready to do battle in her usual sinister, cynical ways. Here, she plays a southern lady filled with memories of the house she has lived in all her life, but is now finally ready to sell.Orlando Bloom and his screen girlfriend are two characters caught up in this town, a victim of urban decay. Both wish to escape from the town, but circumstances prove that not to be the case.The environmental problems needed to be expounded more; instead, we have a repentant Firth at the end, and a gullible city council that nearly bought his sales pitch.

Amy Adler Georgianna Carr (Ellen Burstyn) lives in a sleepy North Carolina town that has seen better days. Her father was a prominent businessman, in his day, and he kept a large warehouse for the tobacco farmers to store their product until it was manufactured into cigarettes and so on. That was long ago and this is now. Miss Carr is not wealthy and may have to sell her house. But, unbelievably, a Texan man, Gus Leroy (Colin Firth) wants to rent her warehouse and gives her six months rent in advance. Is this her way to keep her house? She agrees but finds out, too late, that he is storing hazardous waste, in government-regulated bins, until it can be properly disposed. Now, Miss Carr is so worried she asks her daughter, Willa (Patricia Clarkson) to help her find a way out. Meanwhile, Mary (Amber Tamblyn) a young twenty-something, beautiful lady discovers that the man she has been dating is married, technically, with two kids and won't seek a divorce until the children are adults. Whew! She contemplates moving to Atlanta, to the sorrow of Harris (Orlando Bloom) the town's sheriff who secretly, passionately loves her. Also, her parents are very reluctant to see her go as well. As to the warehouse, Willa tries to discuss things with Gus and finds out that they, both divorcees, may have a mutual attraction. Hey, this may not be a sleepy little town after all! When a heavy rain storm arrives, things get even more complicated. What will happen to these fine folk? Don't be fooled by the cover, with a smiling Mr. Firth in the center. This is not a light-hearted story but a fairly heavy look at a bevy of diverse topics. Among these are hazardous waste, aging Southern towns and the pursuits of the heart. The script, written by Horton Foote before his death, may have attracted the big name cast and they really are terrific. Firth has a genuine Texas twang so that's fun and Bloom sports a Southern drawl as well. More importantly, all of the principals give very touching turns. The small Dixie city has its charms, especially Miss Carr's house, and costumes, photography and direction are up to snuff. But, its generally a slow-moving, reflective film so not everyone will appreciate its better qualities. If you think you will, go for it.

Tony Heck "The company sent me to look for towns or cities that might benefit from our services. Durham was on my list." The town of Durham, like most cities has been hit hard by the bad economy. People are moving out and the unemployment rate is high. Gus Leroy (Firth) comes into town with a track record of helping towns recover and end unemployment. The town is unsure of his method, storing hazardous waste until it can be transported. This is another movie that proves that just because a movie has no CGI or explosions every five minutes it receives no marketing and the release it needs. This is a movie that is full of great actors and great performances. The plot is not that exciting, but the acting makes up for it. Colin Firth does a fantastic job in this movie of playing a guy who you aren't sure of. The entire movie he keeps you on edge wondering if he is really as good as he seems. Much like "Company Men" this is a movie that is a serious subject that sounds boring when you read it, but the acting makes it great. A must watch. Overall, a great movie filled with great acting that deserves a bigger audience then it will get. I give it an A.Would I watch again? - Yes I would.*Also try - Company Men

gregking4 Durham is a small rural town in North Carolina that is slowly dying. Its once prosperous main street in now but a mere shadow of itself, and businesses are closing down. Symbolic of the town's faded glory is Georgina Carr (Ellen Burstyn), who lives alone in the family house. Her family fortune was founded on the tobacco industry during the 20th century, but now she has fallen on hard times. The family home is now far too big for her, and she is struggling to maintain payments. Salvation seemingly comes in the form of Gus Leroy (Colin Firth), the smooth talking representative of a Texas firm that specialises in handling and storing hazardous waste materials. Gus manages to gain a lease on Carr's vacant warehouse by promising that his business will help turn the town's fortunes around. We also meet a number of the town's other residents who are affected by the downturn in prosperity and are eager to leave to find employment and excitement elsewhere. Harris Parker (Orlando Bloom) is a local policeman who is studying law at night school in a futile effort to please Mary (Amber Tamblyn), his high school sweetheart. But she has made the mistake of falling for the smooth charms of her boss (Andrew McCarthy) at the law firm where she works. And Georgina's headstrong niece Willa (Patricia Clarkson) helps her aunt in the negotiations with Gus regarding breaking the firm's contract. Willa herself left town, but has returned following her divorce. Leroy finds himself slowly involved in the town's daily business, which eventually pricks his own conscience about the nature of his company's business. Main Street is the final script written by Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winning playwright, the late Horton Foote (To Kill A Mockingbird, Tender Mercies, etc), and it offers a eulogy to small town America, which is slowly dying in the severe economic downturn. While it nicely captures the rhythm of small town life, it is also part of the film's major failing, in that we never really get to identify with the characters or sympathise with them. There is some evocative cinematography from Australian Donald McAlpine. This is the first feature film from John Doyle, who is better known for his theatre work on Broadway. His direction is measured, but he seems unable to effectively draw the various subplots together. He draws some nice performances from his solid cast, in particular, Burstyn who is effective as the wilting Southern belle, and Clarkson is also very good as Willa. However Firth seems miscast and struggles to acquire a convincing Texan accent.