Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)

★ 6.1 1h 35m 107 votes IMDb

Comedy Drama

Movie star Roxy Carmichael is abandoning the bright lights of Hollywood, Calif. and returning to her small Ohio hometown -- at least long enough to dedicate a city building. And now the whole town of Clyde is bracing for Carmichael's return, most of all her now-married old flame Denton Webb and troubled teen Dinky Bossetti. An orphan with few friends, Dinky is convinced that Carmichael is her birth mother, and that the actress will reclaim her when she returns.

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Cast

Winona Ryder as Dinky Bossetti Age 54 · Winona, Minnesota, USA Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. She is the recipient of several awards, including a Golden Globe Award, and has been nomina...

Jeff Daniels as Denton Webb Age 71 · Athens, Georgia, USA Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan. He has performed i...

Stephen Tobolowsky as Mayor Bill Klepler Age 74 · Dallas, Texas, USA Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American character actor. He is known for film roles such as insurance agent Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day and amnesiac Sammy Jankis in Memento, as well as such televisi...

Dinah Manoff as Evelyn Whittacher Age 70 · New York City, New York, USA Dinah Manoff is an American stage, film, and television actress and television director. She is best known for her roles as Carol Weston on Empty Nest, Elaine Lefkowitz on Soap, Marty Maraschino in th...

Laila Robins as Elizabeth Zaks Age 67 · St. Paul, Minnesota, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Laila Robins (born March 14, 1959) is an American stage, film and television actress..

Director Jim Abrahams

Cast Winona Ryder, Jeff Daniels, Stephen Tobolowsky, Dinah Manoff, Laila Robins, Thomas Wilson Brown, Joan McMurtrey, Graham Beckel, Frances Fisher, Robby Kiger

Wuchak 6/10 Mar 09, 2024

**_Teenage Winona Ryder as a misfit coming-of-age in northwest Ohio_**

A celebrity from a small town in the Sandusky Bay region is finally returning home for a visit and members of the town react in different ways. A nonconformist teen (Ryder) has suspicions about the ‘star’ while developing a relationship with the school’s guidance counselor (Laila Robins) and pestering a man who has a history with Roxy (Jeff Daniels).

"Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael" (1990) is sometimes listed as a comedy, but it’s not; it’s a coming-of-age drama with satirical bits and occasional amusement. It’s not about the title character but about how that person’s ‘success’ and fame affect the locals who knew her or knew about her, not to mention those who appreciate her simply for putting their town on the map. This happened in real life with Dave Grohl, who returned to his birthplace, Warren, Ohio, in 2009, wherein he was given the key to the city at the celebration and an alley was named after him. The difference is that Grohl was only 3 years-old when his family left Warren whereas Roxy Carmichael was about 18.

What I like is that the flick captures the mundane existence of people in small town America, trying to find meaning and fulfillment, and not just teens, but adults too. For instance, did you ever have a solitary place where you went regularly as a kid that only you knew about and valued? That’s in this movie. Some bits are comical and some aren’t, but they’re all relevant to real-life: Trying to fit-in at school, being bullied, finding a surrogate mother or father (a mentor), romance, sex in the workplace, getting caught, shameful social secrets, delusional wishful thinking, and more.

The first half is too low-key and uneventful, but the movie finds its footing and delivers a worthwhile viewing experience despite foregone conclusions. I’m speaking as someone who was never smitten with Winona, who happened to be 18 years-old during shooting (in other words, fans of hers might appreciate this more than me). Redhead Frances Fisher was at the height of her physical beauty at 37 while another redhead, Dinah Manoff, is worth a mention as Evelyn.

The movie runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in the Sandusky Bay area of northwest Ohio, including the town of Clyde.

GRADE: B-