when life hands you lemons

...you've got three choices: play the victim, do your best, or beat the crap out of somebody. That pretty much explains the following ratings:

Umberto D. (1952)
2 Stars
Directed by Vittorio de Sica
Unsympathetic character in depressing situation does nothing to help himself. It may be realistic, but it's not drama. At least it's short.

Paris, Texas (1984)
4 Stars
Directed by Wim Wenders
Starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell
A different, and IMHO better, take on Rain Man. Further proof that it takes a European to make a great movie about the American West. For once, Kinski's twang fits right in.

Girlfight (2000)
3 Stars
Too rote-liberal and exclusively from the girl's perspective to be completely realistic; otherwise pretty good. Other than the grrrlpower, it's a generic ghetto-kids-make-good-through-constructive-extracurricular-activity story.