How to Make an American Quilt

PG-13

1995

1 hr. 56 min.

Drama

List

63%

35 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Soon-to-be-wed graduate student Finn Dodd (Winona Ryder) develops cold feet when she suspects her fiancé is cheating on her. In order to clear her head, Finn visits her grandmother, Hy (Ellen Burstyn), and great aunt, Glady Joe Cleary (Anne Bancroft), in Grasse, Calif. There, Finn learns that Hy and Glady Joe are members of a group of passionate quilters, and over the course of her visit she is regaled with tales of love and life by women who have collected rich experiences and much wisdom.

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Critics Consensus

How to Make an American Quilt is a bit of a patchwork from a storytelling standpoint, but a strong ensemble cast led by Winona Ryder helps hold it all together.

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Audience Member

there is beauty in the patterns of life, you just have to look for it Wynona Ryder is Finn Dodder; as a little girl she spent many summers in a quilting bee with her grandmother and her friends her parents separated after falling out of love these days she's getting her masters degree in writing a thesis about quilting, is about to be married to man named Sam (Dermont Mulroney) but she's becoming unsure about it all perhaps figuring all this out can come from the ladies making the quilts consisting of Ellen Burstyn, Alfre Woodard, Anne Bancroft, and Kate Nelligan who knows maybe their experience and wisdom with the subject of love can help put her at ease sometimes love simply dies, how to do we know we're only supposed to be with one person in our lives?, young lovers seek perfection, old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of patches, is the hardest part of being a woman having other woman friends or is it trying to be friends with a man?, are we meant to do foolish things when we’re young then later end up regretting them or feeling like we missed out on so much not acting foolish enough?, you have to be careful how you sew your quilt together in life The movie is conventional but filled with good characters flashing back to their stories of how love either enriched their lives or ruined them. Director Jocelyn Moorhouse makes a romance drama full of top of the line female talents each sharing their tough look at love albeit the storytelling isn’t exactly streamlined. But the wonderful acting by them and Ryder combined with a touching score sews enough of the good parts together.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/09/23

Full Review

S R

An interesting movie that kept me entertained. However, I did struggle with remembering all the characters at times. Also, the values taught were misleading for youth, especially girls. It still wove an interesting quilt of a story. It was on Amazon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/08/23

Full Review

Justine G

A sweet, sentimental and touching movie with a great cast.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Kay W

Great movie. Meaningful.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/08/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Que bonitinho, literalmente uma colcha de retalhos, com as histórias e dramas das senhoras entrecortadas e entrelaçadas umas as outras... Aquele linda cena do vendaval, folhas do manuscrito ao vento, e tudo de resolvendo ao final, todas as mágoas perdoadas, poético, sensível, sincero,. emocionante e lindo...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

matthew d

Earnest advice and heartfelt stories. Jocelyn Moorhouse's indie romance drama How to Make an American Quilt (1995) gives numerous heartbreaking romance drama stories with an endearing feminist appeal. You get to see the life stories of several women with all kinds of personality and heartache. The men are all pretty universally terrible people, unaware of their toxic effect on the lives, happiness, and emotional state of being on the women in their lives. Moorehouse brings a feminine lens of empathy for the suffering of women throughout the ages and in different circumstances. She ends up comparing all these sad ladies through their misery as related to the callous men in their lives. Her direction is riveting as she effortlessly takes us through several stories all wrapped up together in one metaphorical quilt, symbolic of many life experiences. Whitney Otto's novel gets you to care about each woman by giving her a unique personality, backstory, and development and Jocelyn Moorehouse recreates that magical vibe of warmth and understanding for her lovely film. Jane Anderson's dialogue is realistic and felt deeply with sympathetic words for each lady going through tragedy of a kind. I love seeing women writing and directing pictures about women with a lady's perspective for it always feels fresh and genuine. Jill Billcock's easy going editing gives How to Make an American Quilt a gentle pace with a dreamy feel. You never even notice 116 minutes have passed by in dramatic bliss. Ruth Myers' costumes are all cute and authentic in appearance and feel. Janusz Kaminski's cinematography is full of lush wide shots and beautifully framed medium shots. I adore his close-up choices with a tender feel and vulnerable side to his camerawork. Thomas Newman's subtle score is nicely accompanied by Kaminski's lovely shots and Jocelyn Moorhouse's affectionate direction. She really picked the cream of the crop for this cast and crew. Winona Ryder is honest as the lead actress among a plethora of talented ladies. Ryder finds her character Finn Dodd's real love with the help of her earnest eyes and gripping dramatic skills. Ryder is like this cute girl next door, but completely her own person in every film. Anne Bancroft is very sly and witty with an ever expressive face. Ellen Burstyn is devastating and lovable as always. Kate Nelligan is pretty fun as the woman with looser ideals, but a sensitive side. Jean Simmons is tragically underappreciated, but truly deft here. Maya Angelou's knowing glances and cheery disposition give her timeless wisdom more depth and gravitas with her thoughtful performance. Alfre Woodard's effervescent individualism is strikingly refreshing and entertaining as usual with her thoughtful performance. Dermont Mulroney is quite mean and thoughtless as the cowardly cheat and unappealing lover Sam, who is so ill fit for Winona's charming Finn. Lois Smith is resonant as the elderly Sophia. Kate Capshaw is enjoyable as Winona's frivolous mother. Rip Torn gets a fantastically subtle scene with Ellen Burstyn, then hilarious altercations with Anne Bancroft in a rare dramatic turn from Torn. Johnathan Schaech is handsome and charismatic as the flirtatious Leon alongside Winona's adorable Finn. Samantha Mathis is phenomenal as the hurting and dreamy young Sophia. Joanna Going's voluptuous young Em is endearing and painful to see her hurt so bad. Jared Leto's acting debut as Beck is interesting on his own merits. Claire Danes is outstanding and cute as young Glady. Melinda Dillon, and Richard Jenkins cameo. I swear this film has every great actress and actor involved somewhere. In all, How to Make an American Quilt is a lovely picture with brilliantly nuanced acting and tender craftsmanship. It has so much to say to young girls that will resonate to more mature audiences as well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Jocelyn Moorhouse

Director

Winona Ryder

Finn Dodd

Maya Angelou

Anna

Anne Bancroft

Glady Joe Cleary

Ellen Burstyn

Hy Dodd

Samantha Mathis

Actor

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Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

It has its effective moments but it tends to indicate emotions more than deliver them, and is finally more conventional and unadventurous than its elements would lead you to believe.

Aug 2, 2016

Full Review

Leonard Klady

Variety

Dramatically, more ultimately proves less, and the jumble feels like it should have been torn apart and rethreaded with stronger material.

Mar 27, 2009

Full Review

Karen McCluskey

Time Out

Ryder, as gamine as ever, delivers her most credible performance to date, while the luminous Simmons and imposing Angelou infuse the film with grace and understated charm.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Margaret A. McGurk

Cincinnati Enquirer

[Director Jocelyn Moore] achieves a sturdy look, even in the flashback scenes, that gives weight and substance to the memories we see enacted.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 19, 2021

Full Review

Wendy Shreve

Featuring Film

How to Make An American Quilt will have sentimental viewers reaching for the tissue box; cynical watchers nodding their heads with recognition.

Nov 6, 2020

Full Review

Jo Berry

Radio Times

Some of the episodic tales work better than others, but all are interesting and there are splendid characterisations from both young and more senior members of the cast.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 2, 2016

Full Review

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Synopsis

Soon-to-be-wed graduate student Finn Dodd (Winona Ryder) develops cold feet when she suspects her fiancé is cheating on her. In order to clear her head, Finn visits her grandmother, Hy (Ellen Burstyn), and great aunt, Glady Joe Cleary (Anne Bancroft), in Grasse, Calif. There, Finn learns that Hy and Glady Joe are members of a group of passionate quilters, and over the course of her visit she is regaled with tales of love and life by women who have collected rich experiences and much wisdom.

Director: Jocelyn Moorhouse
Screenwriter: Jane Anderson
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 10, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $23.6M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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