May 31, 1998 -- "Hope Floats" is a soap opera-like tear-jerker elevated by solid performances and interesting characters.

Sandra Bullock stars as Birdee Pruitt, a woman humiliated on one of those trashy television talk shows with the news of her husband's infidelity with her best friend. She packs up and moves back home, where she learns everyone in her home town saw the show. "Doesn't anybody watch PBS?" she asks at one point.

Birdee's mother, Ramona Calvert (Gena Rowlands of "Faces" and "A Woman Under the Influence"), tries to get her daughter past the pain by hooking her up with old flame Justin Matisse (Harry Connick Jr. of "Independence Day"), who still carries a torch for her. Birdee's daughter, Bernice, (9-year-old Mae Whitman. "Independence Day" and "One Fine Day") is devastated by the breakup of her parents' marriage and blames her mother.

Birdee is battling with her mother on one hand and her daughter on the other. She needs support, but instead is attacked on every side. Bullock is very good as the beleaguered wife and mother and Mae Whitman is great as her daughter. Rowlands gives an excellent performance as Birdee's eccentric mother, while Connick is suitably witty, charming and understanding.

The relationship between the mothers and daughters in this movie is utterly convincing. That's what carries the movie. A climactic emotional scene between Rowlands and Bullock is very intense, but not as intense as Mae Whitman's heartbreaking confrontation with her faithless father, played coolly by Michael Paré (who is better known for his acting in cheap action films).

This film reminded me at times of that other Texas sudser, "Terms of Endearment," but not as good, of course. Forest Whitaker (who acted in "Smoke" and directed "Waiting to Exhale") shows a fine touch with the actors in this film. The soundtrack is also very good. I did find myself wiping my eyes often during this film, so bring a hanky. I suspect that women will like this film more than men, but it appealed to me and I'll give it a B.

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