Suspenseful and dramatic – a good family movie

Tanya’s Score: Good*

Rated: PG

Starring: Lainie Diamond, Lloyd Dobler, Marvin from Fresh Off The Boat

Plot: In 1935, a young tomboy (Meredith Salenger) travels from Chicago to Seattle in order to find her father (Ray Wise).

Tanya’s Verdict: I remember this movie from when I was a kid – but for one reason or another never ended up watching it until now. As far as family movies go, I enjoyed it. Despite having a predictable ending, it offers up suspense and adventure for the entire family. There are several scenes hinting at a deeper darkness such as when a group of men gamble at an organized dog fight and when a hitchhiking Natty is picked up by a possible pedophile. There are also a couple of instances where men smack her – I guess typical in 1930s America. While The Journey of Natty Gann may be a good movie to enjoy together as a family, it is also a great way to start a bigger conversation with your kids about a myriad of situations.

*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great