A beekeeper raising his two granddaughters while his son is in jail must deal with his son's old cohorts. This is a well-acted character study, with Fonda having one of his best roles as a widower who wants to live a quiet existence but must take steps to keep his dysfunctional family together. His low-key performance as a man of quiet integrity recalls his father in films like "The Grapes of Wrath." Richardson is fine as a helpful neighbor while Biel makes her film debut as one of the granddaughters. While most of the film is engaging, the plot is weak, failing to deliver a strong ending to satisfactorily wrap up the story.
Review of Ulee's Gold
