A Painted House

Set in 1952, Mexican auteur Alfonso (LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE) Arau's made-for-TV slice of Americana examines social distinctions and intra-class prejudice in the rural south.

Times are tough for Arkansas delta farmers like Eli "Pappy" Chandler (Scott Glenn) and his son, Jesse (Robert Sean Leonard), but they hire hill people like the Spruills, who are even worse off, to pick their crops. Although Mr. Spruill (Geoffrey Lewis) recognizes the piece-work as a way to feed his family, his hot-tempered son, Hank (Pablo Schreiber), resents toiling for land-owners – even marginal "sodbusters" like the Chandlers. Jesse’s 10-year-old, Luke (Logan Lerman), hasn'...