The place is South Carolina, the time is 1964, right when LBJ has signed the Civil Rights Act (“Nothin’ but a piece of paper”). An abused white teenage runaway and her fugitive black maid find refuge at a honey farm of “cultured” black sisters named after months of the year, August, June, and May (twin of the deceased April). Sticky sentimentality, by way of the Sue Monk Kidd novel, but Queen Latifah brings some real strength to it, and Dakota Fanning (apparently unspoiled in early adolescence) some real vulnerability. With Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, and Paul Bettany; written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. (2008) — Duncan Shepherd
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