as Elvadine Christopher Fennell as Billy Lipnicki Donald Sellers as Arliss Lipnicki Leon Sills as Leo Lipnicki Will West as Lester Lucket Bruce A. Young as Moe Henry Brennan Gallagher as Marsh Jennifer Tyler as Ula Lipnicki Lucas Black as Ebb Lipnicki Christine Baranski as Miss Strapford Charlette Julius as Amber Production The film was purchased in February 1993 by Island World who paid $500,000 cash for the spec script by Kathy McWorter. Kevin Costner joined the film in June 1993. Principal photography wrapped in April 1994. Critical response Wood earned praise for his role, as did Costner, but the film itself received mostly negative reviews from critics who criticized the script and Avnet's directing. It currently holding a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two stars out of four, criticizing the fusion of war trauma and intimate family drama. However, he did praise Wood, saying: Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised Costner and Wood's performances, saying the father-son bond was the film's strongest element. However, Maslin felt that the film “contends with too many minor plot threads and a too-wrenching switch of gears late in the story. As written atmospherically but sometimes preachily by Kathy McWorter, it incorporates a wider array of lessons than it can comfortably handle.' Brian Lowry of Variety called the film, “earnest but over-cooked”, criticizing its use of the Vietnam War as “heavy-handed”. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C+, but gave commendations to Costner, writing, “He’s nicely weighted (figuratively and literally, with an attractive hint of middle-aged bulk — hey, the guy looks great). And in a plot heavy with sentimentality, he maintains a light touch.” Schwarzbaum also gave praise to Wood, but complained that Avnet and screenwriter Kathy McWorter were too-heavy-handed in their storytelling choices. Empire, by contrast, gave the film four stars, deeming it “a superior movie that matches intelligent metaphor with outstanding performances.” Awards nominations Elijah Wood was nominated for a YoungStar Award in the category of Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama Film while Lexi Randall was nominated for a Young Artist Award in the category of Best Performance by a Young Actress Co-Starring in a Motion Picture. Notes External links 1994 films Vietnam War films 1990s coming-of-age drama films 1990s English-language films Films directed by Jon Avnet Films set