Agree completely. This plays like a TV movie. JL is not up to the task of playing a woman in pain who ignores her daughter but wont or can't admit it. I felt nothing for her character, and she is supposed to be playing a character that should be gathering our sympathy as the movie progresses. Instead, I found myself irritated by her, unconvinced by a poor country accent, and constantly reminded that she was outdone by the girl who played her daughter. HUGE miscast by the dozen or so producers.
RR, MF, and the other supporting cast were okay, but hardly a standout. Both RR and MF can play these types of characters in their sleep, so it was hardly a stretch. Paul Newman prob wd have been a better fit for the Einar character imo.
The plotting was slow, which isn't a bad thing when your characters are interesting. Unfortunately, these ones aren't. I felt nothing for any of these people, save for the occasional ping of sympathy for the Griff character.
This should have a much better movie, but none of the leads digs deep for anything, and the film suffers for it.

One of the best movies ever for people who like to think, learn, observe, and feel. Certainly not for the majority, I'd guess.
(The book's even better - more room to add scenes, expand characters, etc.)

It is really bad, TV-movie quality

One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Predictable maybe but sooooo good. Great cast scenery beautiful