Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Brainsbell The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Madilyn Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

smatysia "Jolene" is, in spite of a lot of previous comments, better than average. Jessica Chastain, playing the eponymous character is outstanding. Yes, her journey is repetitive in a way, and she never seems to learn from her experiences and continues to make terrible decisions in her life. I tend to assume that this is the point of the story. Every other part in the movie is somewhat small, as Jolene moves on and never goes back. But good work is done here by, among others, Frances Fisher, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, and Shannon Whirry. Rupert Friend and Dermot Mulroney's characters were creepy in the extreme, which probably makes it more fun to play them. There are no likable characters in this film, including Jolene, and this is probably what turns off so many reviewers.

punishmentpark Yes, Jessica Chastain can act, and does so very well in 'Jolene', but that doesn't make this a good film, necessarily. In episodes, the viewer witnesses the (bad) choices she makes and what harm comes to her. There seems to be no redeeming quality to any of it, from her early days of abuse (this begins before she gets married, but is captured in just a single voice-over sentence) to her final false (?, I can only assume; the movie ends there) dream of being a movie star and reclaiming her child... The resilience of Jolene's character is both impressive and hard to watch. And to learn that big money (the Tulsa parents) is seemingly the only way to (finally) find out about Jolene's past and get her back in touch with the 'proper authorities' is a confrontation with an utterly sad truth, let alone with the equally sad fact that the rich Tulsa husband (among others) can get away with such violence.But why tell such a story? I would guess to tell the tragic life story of a young woman, put in a few life lessons for young, fragile women, criticize certain life styles and institutions...? Yes, I think I could get that, but as I tried to explain before, things are off. Jolene doesn't learn, bad folks get away with their mischief, and institutions too. In the end she escapes once again into a sad fantasy - where will she go from there? On top of that, some parts tend to the exploitation genre (while this film is trying hard to fit the drama genre, I believe) and the separate episodes are mostly rather shallow, stating facts in an up tempo manner.I still can't get my head around all of it, and / but I don't know if that is a good thing or not... 6 out of 10 for now.Oh, and this was based on a fictional tale with the same title, which was in turn based on the song 'Jolene'. And yes, that, in turn, was based on something, too.

Allen Williams This was one of those movies where it doesn't really matter if the story sucks or if the film itself was poorly made. I could care less about any of that stuff because watching Jessica Chastain on screen is just delightful in its own way.The story was alright, although I'm not sure there was an actual story here. All I gathered from the so called plot was that this woman (Jolene) didn't know what to do with herself and just kinda wandered & winged it through life on a daily basis.This movie should have been the female version of "The Truman Show" where the audience can just follow around a clueless human being for no particular reason. This is a wannabe reality show disguised as a feature film and the only thing missing is SNOOKI and that's all there is too it....

alithiapa As a foster kid tossed from home-to-home throughout southern Louisiana only to land with hard-earned education in Boston working at Harvard Medical School and living in the penthouse of the Ritz, I can tell you that I identify with this movie. There is something luring about the disenfranchised vulnerable that makes beautiful for predators (even well-intended predators with good intentions)- mark. I am most curious to learn where and with whom the author did his research to accurately reflect the subtle, but violent truths of this character Jolene. He captures the dichotomy of her seeming power but destined powerlessness with piercing accuracy.