Jolene (2008)

Credited as Jessica Chastain's film debut, 'Jolene' is probably largely responsible for her big break casting in 'The Help' as the characters are somewhat similar. Jolene has spent much of her life in abusive foster homes, before at age 15  marrying a nice and simple young man, at the arrangement of his uncle. It is not until later that the couple discover that the marriage was arranged to give the uncle sexual access to the teenager. This situation does not end well, the husband dead and the uncle in jail. Jolene flees South Carolina on an oddessy that will take her to Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma and finally California. Along the way she will be romaticly persued by a verity of men, only one of which is truly good to her. She learns and grows from a niave teenager to a self possessd young woman. I read a review blurb on this film that called it a mediocre movie with a good central performance, and I concure with that. **1/2