To me, this movie is perfection.

Absolutely the worst movie.

A Masterpiece!

The acting in this movie is really good.

15 years ago, Roxy Carmichael left town leaving behind her boyfriend and new baby. Now, she's coming home as a success story. Her former boyfriend Denton Webb (Jeff Daniels) is still not over her despite being married with kids. Dinky Bossetti (Winona Ryder) is adopted, bullied at school and a loner who keeps lots of animals at an abandoned boat. Dinky is convinced that she's the love child of Roxy and Denton. She's interested in class hunk Gerald Howells but he's reluctant to show affection for the class freak. Her only friend is the school counselor Elizabeth Zaks.Winona Ryder is perfectly cast as this sensitive outsider teen. She is great at playing this type of character. The rest of the movie lacks humor. It tries to be a sharp black comedy but the writing isn't good enough. Director Jim Abrahams is more known for his spoof movies. He doesn't seem to have a solid hold on a sensitive serious coming-of-age movie. The tone is awkward. The attempted comedy slams into Denton's anger and his side of the story. The movie works with Ryder but struggles without her.

I recall seeing this film over a decade ago and eventually bought the video because I liked it so much. It's not particularly fantastic but it is good sweet endearing little film which I can kind of relate to as well as a lot of people who felt a little different and that they stood out during their puberty years. The only popular actors/actresses I can recall in this film is Winona Ryder, Jeff Daniels, Dinah Manoff and Frances Fisher(before the Titanic franchise).The basic premise of this film is about a former town outcast and title of this film Roxy Carmichael who 15 years ago fled from the small town of Clyde, Ohio to seek fame and fortune. Now a legendary figure, she is set to return to her hometown as the town now rallies around awaiting her arrival. But that's only the backdrop of the story. The main focus is revolves around 15 year old Dinky Bossetti(Ryder), a gifted misfit and social outcast whom nobody likes as she is often ostracized by her peers and teachers alike at school. Even her well to do adoptive parents seem embarrassed by her "weirdness" and are constantly sending her away to school and plan on sending her to another special school. The only solace Dinky finds is her menagerie of animals she takes care of on an ark around an abandoned boat as well of her fascination with Roxy Carmichael whom she feels drawn to for some reason. She does find a few allies namely Gerald Howells(Thomas Wilson Brown), a boy in school who doesn't sneer at her and actually smitten with her. Miss Zaks(Laila Robins), the new guidance counselor who takes an interest in Dinky and sees potential in her. And Denton Webb(Daniels)a carpenter and a former flame of Roxy's who can't seem to get over is fixation on her that is causing strain in his marriage. Soon Dinky and Denton bond over Roxy and he reveals to her that they once had a baby girl together shortly before she left town. After this revelation Dinky is convinced that Roxy is her birth mother and she can't wait more than ever for her Roxy's return so she can go live with her "mother".This decent flick has humor as well as sentimental moments, and it's with interesting characters including Manoff as a former rival maybe a lesbian lover of Roxy's. Ryder stands out as Dinky and is portrayed rather convincing as girl who is a social outcast with depth as she deals with all the things around her, her ostracism from her peers, her disconnect with her parents, her sexual discovery and the fears that goes with it regarding her interaction with the cute boy at school, her need to search for her own identity and escape from the dreariness of her surroundings. Ryder never comes off weak or pathetic despite her outcome but headstrong, tough and vulnerable.I also liked the soundrack sung by Melissa Etheridge which are quite memorable. Anyway, this flick can be entertaining as be relatable, like wanting to escape your life and be someone else and learning to except what you have.

This Film Is Better Than Citizen Kane for two reasons. The Ending Means Something to the Characters in the film, finding out what rosebud is means nothing to anybody except a faceless image in a news room. Who gets out of the limo in "Roxy" means everything to a small town in Ohio. The Story must have meaning for the characters in it, without it who really cares. After you see "Kane" once you know What rosebud is then the best part is the people who knew him, not Kane himself. Bringing us to the next point, if you don't like the main character than whats the point? i'm not saying i don't like Charles Kane, But i Already know he's dead from the begining the rest is filler. In "roxy" The audience cares about Dinky, what happens to her is important. She is there in the moment and that gives greater weight to Characters involved. (since everyone will disagree with this please keep in mind Wynnoa Is ten times hotter than Orson Welles skinny or not!)

Decided to watch "Welcome home, Roxy Carmichael". I had never seen it before and was swept away completely by it. I was almost in tears during to whole movie. The last ten minutes I couldn't hold back the tears anymore, just had to let them go. This movie touched me very deeply !