Goldie Hawn makes an impressive directing debut with this good-looking portrait of a not-so-good life of racial prejudice and religious fervour in America's Deep South in the early Sixties. Despite the sometimes heavy-handed in-your-face moralising, this is a watchable story centred on a spirited 13-year-old (an excellent performance by Jena Malone), being brought up by her childless aunt (Christine Lahti) and ignorant uncle (J T Walsh). Trouble brews, however, when the girl befriends a black preacher (Jeffrey D Sams). Hawn allows the story to unfold at its own pace and encourages some fine performances from her stars. On this evidence, she should sit in the director's chair more often.

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