To its credit, "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries" never really tries to live up to its title, which suggests that viewers are going to see a tearjerker.
The latest by the Merchant-Ivory filmmaking team, the movie certainly has the opportunity to go for cheap sentimentality. For the most part, however, director James Ivory resists that temptation, and while the end result isn't perfect, it's a better movie because of that decision.
Although not quite up there with the Merchant-Ivory classics ("A Room with a View," "The Remains of the Day"), it's certainly better than their last couple of duds ("Surviving Picasso," "Jefferson in Paris").
Also, the film benefits from two of the most ingratiating performances seen onscreen this year, from Kris Kristofferson and Leelee Sobieski ("Deep Impact"), a teenager with an astonishing acting range for someone her age.
This drama is based on Kaylie Jones' novel, which was a thinly disguised biography of the author and her father, famed writer James Jones ("From Here to Eternity").
The story is seen through the eyes of Channe Willis (Sobieski), the daughter of Bill Willis (Kristofferson), a successful expatriate writer living in Paris. There, she and her adopted brother, Billy (Jesse Bradford), struggle to be accepted in their bilingual school.
Fortunately, Channe finds a kindred soul in Francis Fortescue (Anthony Roth Costanzo), a sensitive and artistically talented fellow student. But the underachieving Billy desperately longs to be an American.
He eventually gets that chance when the family moves to the United States. But the move isn't completely joyous since it is precipitated by the failing health of their father, whose congenital heart ailment is getting progressively worse.
As mentioned, Sobieski's performance is nothing short of amazing — and her uncanny resemblance to Helen Hunt, minus the attitude, certainly doesn't hurt. Both Kristofferson and Barbara Hershey, who plays his wife, add needed warmth.
Admittedly, Ivory and fellow screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala make some odd storytelling choices, and the lighthearted tone of much of the piece is initially off-putting. But surprisingly it works.
"A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries" is rated R for profanity, violent slapping and a fist fight, lewd dancing and a vulgar drawing, use of racial epithets and simulated drug use.