Flowers in the Attic

I like the premise of this story, but the casting, especially for the children's roles, is so poorly done that I had trouble identifying with them, and actually couldn't connect at all. Ellen Burstyn delivers one of her typically strong performances, but her character itself isn't that great. The children look too good and too heroic to just be beaten up and suffer; especially the older ones should be a bit more realistically overwhelmed. The perfection of their hair and makeup only underscores the inability to create the right atmosphere. It's a shame because the premise is very intriguing and quite controversial. I'll have to watch the 1987 film, of which this one is a remake. Both films, the original and this TV version, are based on the book by Virginia C. Andrews. The film will continue in Petals on the Wind. (13.04.2014)