The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
A resourceful Ohio mother turns jingle contests into a lifeline while trying to protect her children from an alcoholic husband's collapsing dreams.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- sincere
- bittersweet
- resilient
- reflective evening
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly found Julianne Moore's performance noteworthy but considered the film too indistinct and tentative to fully convey the power of its bittersweet true-life story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Evelyn uses creativity, persistence, and contest winnings to manage poverty and protect her ten children.
Kelly's drinking, rage, and diversion of household money repeatedly destabilize the Ryan family.
The story centers on factory work, household finances, church advice, and prize contests in mid-century Ohio.
Evelyn enters commercial jingle competitions, sometimes under her children's names, to obtain urgently needed prizes.
Films like The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, and why
The Hours
shared female-centered domestic drama, economic hardship, resilience, and bittersweet emotional tone
Erin Brockovich
shared true-life family drama, working-class struggle, difficult marriage, and determined maternal protagonist
The Pursuit of Happyness
shared inspirational biographical drama, poverty, family responsibility, and understated social realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Jane Anderson
- Release Date
- 2005-09-28
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (91)
Cast
- Julianne Moore
- Woody Harrelson
- Laura Dern
- Trevor Morgan
- Ellary Porterfield
- Simon Reynolds
- Robert Clark
- Michael Seater
- Jordan Todosey
- Jack Murray
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio about?
- A resourceful Ohio mother turns jingle contests into a lifeline while trying to protect her children from an alcoholic husband's collapsing dreams.
- What is The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio as mild.
- What did critics think of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio?
- Critics broadly found Julianne Moore's performance noteworthy but considered the film too indistinct and tentative to fully convey the power of its bittersweet true-life story.
- Which films are like The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio?
- Films with a similar feel include The Hours, Erin Brockovich, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
- How long is The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio?
- The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio?
- In United States, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
