A bar of soap is something I threatened with many times in my house, and a rightly repeated element in the movie “Georgia Rule.”

A tale of three women, representing three generations. Fonda plays Georgia, a decent and stern widow who resides in Idaho. Most of the neighbors are Mormon unlike Georgia, however she fits right in with her framed mottos “Count Your Blessing” and doesn’t miss a chance to stuff the soap bar into your mouth if you use the Lord’s name in vain.

Uncontrollable and rebellious teenager Rachel (Lindsay Lohan) is sent to her grandmother Georgia as punishment for the summer by her own mother Lilly (Felicity Huffman) who swore never to return to the one place she hates and a her own mother she never got along with.

Huffman performs extremely well, sometimes even showing gristly resemblance to Fonda. As a baffled drinker she is in constant conflict with her loyalties, at times loving to hate her daughter, mother and boyfriend, probably because that’s the only form of love that she had in her life.

Lohan is showing signs of maturity and great acting, while Fonda as always at her best. However, the top acting is by Huffman, who even has some stringy resemblance to Fonda. She’s terrific as a baffled drinker in a tangle of conflicted loyalties, sometimes loving to hate her mother, daughter and boyfriend because that’s the only form of love on constant tap.

Three women successfully spin this family drama, while funny at times, by no means a comedy. The subject matter is quite serious and disturbing. For the cost of the movie ticket and a Friday night movie with the family,

I thought it was time and money well spent.

By Yana Berlin