4/23/2007

Come Early Morning

Director: Joey Lauren Adams

Indie actress Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy) proves she has much more to offer the film world than just her distinctive Jean Arthur meets Glenne Headly voice and bubbly persona with Come Early Morning, her intensely personal debut as a writer/director that earned Adams the Dorothy Arzner Director’s Award. In the film, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival where it was among just sixteen dramatic titles chosen to be screened at the event out of 1,700 submissions (according to IMDB), actress Ashley Judd turns in one of her finest and most daring performances as thirty-something Lucy Fowler who, in addition to looking after her dysfunctional and argumentative family, works in the construction industry in small town Arkansas, and endures a recurring bad habit of ending her evenings at a local bar, followed by way too many mornings waking up with strangers after forgettable one-night-stands. Adams, also a native of Arkansas and therefore proving the benefit of the old adage of writing what you know, does not take any shortcuts or sugarcoat Lucy’s plight and her daily struggles after Lucy meets Cal Percell (Jeffrey Donovan), a man not contented to just be tossed out like garbage who wants Lucy to acknowledge to her own self that she indeed has personal value. A wonderful cast including Dianne Ladd, Stacy Keach, Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Wilson, and Laura Prepon helps add to the authenticity of the piece and although it’s definitely a downer until Lucy begins to realize that a much-needed lifestyle change is down the road, it’s a very worthwhile film and makes you eager to see the next work from the promising Adams. Come Early Morning won the Best Narrative Feature at the Memphis Independent Film Festival.


From Come Early Morning


“Somebody Pick Up My Pieces” by Willie Nelson & Emmylou Harris
Willie Nelson & Emmylou Harris - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Somebody Pick Up My Pieces

“Silver Wings” by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Silver Wings

“I’m Going Nowhere” by Troy Cook Jr.
Troy Cook Jr. - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - I'm Going Nowhere

“Oh Lonesome Me” by Don Gibson
Don Gibson - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Oh Lonesome Me

“The Way I Am” by Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - The Way I Am

“I Got Mexico” by Eddy Raven
Eddy Raven - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - I Got Mexico

“Leavin’ Ain’t The Only Way To Go” by Eric James Jochmans
Eric James Jochmans - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Leavin' Ain't the Only Way to Go

“If Anyone Asks You (Callin’)” by Shannon Boshears
Shannon Boshears - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - If Anyone Asks You (Callin')

“What’s Done Is Done” by Jeannie Max Lane
Jeannie Max Lane - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - What's Done Is Done

“Get Back To Loving Me” by Jim Chestnut
Jim Chestnut - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Get Back to Loving Me

“Movin’ Out, Movin’ Up & Movin’ On” by Troy Cook Jr.
Troy Cook Jr. - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Movin' Out, Movin' Up & Movin' On

“Old Chuck Of Coal” by Billy Joe Shaver
Billy Joe Shaver - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Old Chuck of Coal

“Killing the Blues” by Malcolm Holcombe
Malcolm Holcombe - Come Early Morning (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Killing the Blues