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The Spitfire Grill

Play trailer Poster for The Spitfire Grill PG-13 1996 1h 56m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
39% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
After being released from jail, Percy Talbott (Alison Elliott) travels to a town in Maine looking for a new beginning. When she arrives, she finds work at a restaurant owned by the crabby Hannah (Ellen Burstyn). She also befriends a waitress named Shelby (Marcia Gay Harden) and begins a romance with an attractive local named Joe (Kieran Mulroney). But when Hannah falls ill and Percy plans to help her sell the restaurant, Shelby's husband (Will Patton) becomes suspicious of her intentions.
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The Spitfire Grill

Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 06/14/2022
If one can put up with these cliches, and with Marcia Gay Harden’s overacting, there are some nice compensations here, including most of the other performances and the location shooting... Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
2/4
It's an unabashedly manipulative, melodramatic tearjerker with plot twists that Horatio Alger would have been embarrassed to use, and the fact that it's so well acted only confuses the issue. Go to Full Review
Mike Clark USA Today 01/01/2000
2/4
Original in some ways but the same old plate of fried green tomatoes in others, this Sundance Festival favorite might rate wider acclaim for its two leads if the overall tone weren't so bloodless and even dreary. Go to Full Review
Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) 12/05/2020
It's really quite good and Ellen Burstyn is great Go to Full Review
Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault 02/03/2007
C
Like "High Plains Drifter" as a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/12/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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David M Oct 10 I love this movie. It is easy to see the shortcomings of this story as many have, but I am not averse to a “retelling” a good story about one who’s been dealt a crap hand and overcoming it. The actors and their portrayal of the characters is what I loved most about this movie. Each of the main characters were endearing. This was my first time seeing Allison Elliott. I thought she was superb. She pulled me in with the first scene. I have watched this many times and still need a box of tissue at hand. Incredibly evocative. See more Christopher B 12/08/2024 A very moving story with a great spirit about it. By the end of the film I wished I could move to Gilead. I know the professional reviewers commented on how they found it full of clichés, but I didn't see the same story points to be clichés. I found the story to run smoothly and naturally. The acting all around was very natural and helped the story to progress and never seem over long. It's well worth your time to watch. See more 11/21/2024 Has great moments that are higher than most movies reach. See more John A @ExcessMale 07/15/2023 Hate to say (wanted to be enamored by it) but this film feels like a missed opportunity. Mid 90's low-budget slice-of-life motion picture has all the pieces to be a hearty/tragic multi-character study that radiates 'Indie Spirit' as many other film buffs say. 'Spitfire' suffers from a slightly soapy and far too cliched screenplay. If the initial draft had fallen into the hands of Atom Egoyan, Paul Thomas Anderson or some other auteur, the end result would've probably been one of 1996's best films all around. See more Leonard O 01/22/2023 The Spitfire Grill is one of my favorite movies. Allison Elliot gives us all a command performance as Percy Talbot, a young woman fresh out of prison looking for a fresh start the small town of Gilead Maine where she finds work at a small restaurant known as the Spitfire Grill owned, operated and employed by Hannah Fergusson (Ellen Burstyn). She soon develops friendships and has others wondering why she chose to restart her life in Gilead. The movie is well written and well acted by all actors in the movie. It's a movie I'll never forget. See more 04/19/2022 Other than what others say, this movie is a classic, it is well done, heartfelt and unique as far as I can see. The acting by Allison Elliot, Ellen Burstyn and many others in the movie is simply amazing. You will be blown away by the scenery and motion here. Percy Talbot (Allison Elliot) is a convict released from prison and settles in Gillead Maine and starts working at the Spitfire Grill owned and operated by Hannah Ferguson (Ellen Burstyn). At first Percy is met with criticism by almost everyone in town but soon builds friendships with people in town. Percy and Hannah build a strong bond of friendship. Percy finds a way to help Hannah sell her grill but Hannah's son soon starts believing Percy is only there to try and cause trouble in his familly and starts something he soon regrets. The Spitfire Grill is a movie about how a new person can come to town and build the kinds of friendships she never had in life before. This movie will make you wonder, smile and cry. See more Read all reviews
The Spitfire Grill

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Movie Info

Synopsis After being released from jail, Percy Talbott (Alison Elliott) travels to a town in Maine looking for a new beginning. When she arrives, she finds work at a restaurant owned by the crabby Hannah (Ellen Burstyn). She also befriends a waitress named Shelby (Marcia Gay Harden) and begins a romance with an attractive local named Joe (Kieran Mulroney). But when Hannah falls ill and Percy plans to help her sell the restaurant, Shelby's husband (Will Patton) becomes suspicious of her intentions.
Director
Lee David Zlotoff
Producer
Forrest Murray
Screenwriter
Lee David Zlotoff
Production Co
Castle Rock Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.6M
Runtime
1h 56m
Sound Mix
Surround
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