The picture stars an ensemble cast that features Angela Bassett, Edie Falco, Jane Alexander, Alan King, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Cobbs, and others.

Set in a small town in northern Florida, the main two intertwining stories focus on two women at crucial points in their lives, and also comments on such issues as race relations and commercial property development.

Marly wanted to be a marine biologist and was once an underwater performer, but when her twin older brothers died in an accident, she reluctantly became her father's heir.

John Sayles wrote the script for the film with Edie Falco and Angela Bassett in mind, the latter whom he had previously worked with on City of Hope and Passion Fish.

"[5] In a review that awarded 3 1/2 stars out of 4, Roger Ebert wrote, "Because we are so familiar with the conventional approach to a story like this, it takes time to catch on that Sayles is not repeating the old progressive line about the little guy against big capital.

"[6] Of Falco, David Ansen of Newsweek wrote her "bruised, brusque, soulful Southern girl banishes all traces of Carmela Soprano.