The strength of this love drama lies in its admirable execution, while the plot is age old. 14-year-old Dani falls in love with an older boy, which feeling is reciprocated – but only until he meets Dani's older sister.

The movie is thick with the humid, slow atmosphere of the rural south US in the 50's. There are a number of cliches from the movies of the time period, but they are made use of rather than fallen into. The Elvis-based soundtrack and the sets support the 50's mood perfectly.

The characters are each real, nuanced, and well-acted. This includes Dani, who is just making the transition from a plucky tomboy and a starry-eyed Elvis fan into a young woman. Reese's acting is consistently good, and this first role of hers is also among her best. She didn't win the Best Young Actress award she was nominated for, but there's no reason she shouldn't have.