"The Simple Life of
Noah Dearborn"

Stars: Sidney Poitier, Mary-Louise Parker, George Newbern, Diane Wiest

87 minutes

Rated  PG

Trimark Home Video

[FEB. 18, 2000]  There’s a saying at the local video store: “The fewer copies, the more likely it’s a great film.” There was only one copy of this movie on the shelf, and in the case of this flick, I found the adage to be true.

"The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn" is the romantic story of a town and a people that time and technology apparently passed by… until recently when a young, ambitious developer named Christian Nelson (George Newbern) decided to build a $50 million dollar shopping center. The picturesque property his company selected belonged to local legend Noah Dearborn (Sidney Poitier).

This apparently made-for-TV movie unfolds a somewhat predictable plot of the unscrupulous and devious attempts to obtain Noah’s property. But don’t let this deter you. Christian, the developer, who desperately wants the property, stoops so low that he attempts to enlist the services of his fiancée, Valerie (Mary-Louise Parker), a psychologist. He wants her to declare Noah mentally unfit. In the midst of this struggle, people’s lives are changed.

Poitier’s brilliant portrayal of the hard-working, gentle Noah Dearborn was moving, and Diane Wiest was perfectly cast as his close friend and ardent supporter.

There are many small surprises and gems in "The Simple Life…" Contained in this movie is a story of simple truths, powerful relationships and gentle irony. If you are looking for a beautiful story with characters you will care for, and a return to good, honest values, I recommend it and give it 3½ stars.

As for some of those other videos, one copy is sometimes one copy too many.

[midge]