Oak Hill, a poignant drama about three troubled women whose lives intertwine at a shelter house, certainly hit home for me. I felt a great deal of empathy for the main characters here. Strong performances by Sally Kirkland, Jeannie Evans and Rosemary Gore bring these very different individuals to life and make us care about what happens to them despite their frequent outbursts and self-destructive behavior.

Kirkland, a Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee (for Anna), plays Elizabeth St. James, a washed-out actress who was quite something in her glory days. However, boozing has taken its toll on her, both personally and professionally. Kirkland really gets into this role. In fact, while watching her, I couldn’t help thinking about other great ladies of the silver screen like Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson. Kirkland endows her character with the same kind of intense emotionality.

Portraying Madison, a woman whose struggle with substance abuse interferes with her dreams of becoming a dancer, Evans (Beauty School) demonstrates considerable promise. She’s particularly effective in scenes depicting Madison’s estrangement from her mother.

As stand-up comedian Mollie, Gore (Fear of the Dark) gives one of her best performances. She lets Mollie’s concern for others as well as her vulnerability shine through. It tugs at your heart to see Mollie, a frequent Oak Hill inhabitant, hiding behind jokes while trying to deal with her demons. 

Throughout the film, many stormy interactions among Elizabeth, Madison and Mollie take place as they struggle with their problems, but eventually they develop a strong bond with each other.

While not easy to watch, this independent film delivers an important message concerning how lives can be ruined by addiction and how difficult it is to break free from substance abuse.

It’s no surprise to me that Oak Hill earned a 2008 Best Picture Grand Goldie Award for writer/director Peter LaVilla.     

(Released by East in Motion Pictures Inc. Not rated by MPAA.)