AllMovie

An unjustly ignored picture produced during the spate of "farm films" that briefly flourished then vanished in the mid-'80s, this drama from writer Chris Gerolmo and first-time director Gary Sinise is a slow-moving but absorbing work. Too much of the story's action centers on the doomed childhood home of the protagonists played by Kevin Anderson and Richard Gere, and the latter, so adept at portraying morally compromised city slickers, is never entirely convincing as a good old country boy. These minor drawbacks yield to an effective overall spirit of simmering outrage and heartbreak tempered with gentle sweetness that's deftly handled with intelligence and restraint in every frame by Sinise, a fine counterpoint to the film's melodramatic flourishes. While the film takes its laconic time getting around to the defiant, illegal act that forms its centerpiece, possibly disappointing those breathlessly awaiting some sanguinary action, the incendiary event isn't really the film's point. Miles From Home is a solid, workmanlike, and thoughtful film wrought with care by its talented director, who employs many of his Steppenwolf Theatre Company compatriots in the cast.