By morning light

Lucy Fowler (Ashley Judd) awakens in a strange motel bed, hungover, as the sun caresses the hilltops in a small, southern town. She dresses quickly and attempts to sneak out the door, but not before the slumbering man awakens and tries to stop her. The scene simmers on the edge of erupting as we wait for something awful to happen.

My first thought upon viewing Come Early Morning, the directorial debut of Joey Lauren Adams, was, "She gets it." Hollywood has a way of knowing what it thinks small towns look and feel like but often veers way off course. Adams (of Chasing Amy fame), creates a simple, true representation of small-town living. There are no overall-wearing, toothless rednecks spitting tobacco here; instead, Adams colors in simple brush strokes a world of ordinary, working-class folks who sometimes seek ways to dull the mundane or the painful.

Lucy's method is through lots of alcohol and one-night stands. By day, she is a functional and astute assistant to Owen, played with fatherly aplomb by Stacy Keach. When working time is done, however, she is quick to find a barstool to sit on and a beer to nurse. Lucy meets Cal (Jeffrey Donovan), a strapping young man new to town. Cal attempts to woo Lucy, who isn't used to dates and dances; she's more of the love 'em and leave 'em type. There is a touching moment when the two are alone at Cal's after a night of drinking. As she passionately and clumsily kisses Cal, he stops and asks if she's ever kissed someone sober. This pivotal question begins a turn from within, where Lucy begins questioning not only her present habits but her future goals. We quickly see, though, that it will take more than a sweet cowboy to clear out the cobwebs in the dark corners of Lucy's life.

Her desperate attempts to connect with her distant father (Scott Wilson) culminate in a heartbreaking scene involving his guitar. Few words are spoken but with great performances, such as this one, we don't need words. Other story threads involve family members of varying craziness that, thanks to this new Lucy, she will attempt to face instead of running out the door when sunlight breaks.

The script, also written by Adams, is a beautiful, simple study in character. There are no collisions or aliens here. The acting is top notch, especially Judd. While a few other actors manage to soak up a brief bit of light, including Keach and Tim Blake Nelson as Uncle Tim, most are simply sounding boards for Judd's crisp performance. It is Judd who commands our attention. Her nuanced performance reminds us why films can be so much more than fast cars and box-office totals.