A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Overwrought exercise in culture-clash, though worth-seeing for Chris Menges' distinguished, sometimes showoff-y cinematography and for Barbara Hershey's gritty portrayal of a backwoods matriarch living with her clan in the bayous of Louisiana. New York journalist Jill Clayburgh, researching her family origins, takes hell-raising daughter Martha Plimpton with her down South, meeting cousins they never knew about--and a way of life far removed from their own. Co-written by Gérard Brach, Marjorie David, and director Andrei Konchalovsky, the film has bravura individual moments, bits and pieces which fail to parlay into a strong, cohesive whole. Nevertheless, an interesting shot at something different, although the usually-strong Clayburgh never gets her chance at a good scene. ** from ****

I agree with the previous poster that Shy People has definitely fallen through the cracks. It is haunting, and sometimes even a bit hard to watch. However the performances by Jill Clayburgh, Barbara Hershey and the supporting cast are awesome. Ever been to the bayou? I spent two years in Lousiana and explored the landscape every chance I got. I have to say that this film probably captures that life better than any I've ever seen. The clash between that isolated world, seemingly cut off from the rest of society, and that of Jill Clayburgh's classy New York existence is fascinating. On the surface, these two families have absolutely nothing in common, and yet, they somehow have a profound affect on one another. Since this film isn't on DVD, it can be hard to find. However if you do, don't miss it. It's one that tends to stay with you for a while afterward which seems to rarely happen these days.

Barbara Hershey gives a great performance as the deeply repressed backwoods woman -- it could have been caricature work, but it's passionate, dedicated and determined yet restrained. Her character is so dedicated to code and rigid beliefs that after a while we surprise ourselves by starting to wonder if there's some truth, or sense, or admirable strength, to her punishing way of living.The city woman, played by Jill Clayburgh, is our way into the story, and yet she is depicted as somewhat silly and sheltered; her modern, idealistic comments and questions get across thoughts we agree with, and yet they aren't intended as powerful speeches, so our balance of skepticism and interest in Hershey is retained."Shy People" is full of powerful melodrama, strange and specific characters, striking settings, extreme dramatic implications and turning points. The material penetrates the mind and refuses to settle down in the form of cosy conclusions. An oddly powerful movie.

Well-photographed but purposeless film moves at a snail's pace and only occasionally manages to be compelling. Barbara Hershey convincingly changes her image but Jill Clayburgh is rather flat. The fresh-faced, talented Martha Plimpton, as Clayburgh's restless daughter, is by far the best thing in this film. (**)