Though Mom is ditzy and, at times, irritating, we come to recognize her as the family's most original creative spirit.

A beautifully rich performance by Meryl Streep, [18 September 1998, p. 57]

An uplifting, superbly acted and intelligent family drama.

One True Thing demonstrates that the power of simple things, the transcendent nature of the ordinary, can make for riveting filmmaking.

A formulaic family melodrama whose craftsmanship and sensitivity to its characters raises it to the level of sublime group portrait.

This is not a happy tale, and its ending will have moviegoers reaching for every handkerchief they can find. But its compassion is as clear as the talents of the folks who made it.

It is the craftsmanship that elevates One True Thing above the level of a soaper.

Thrown into exalted company, Zellweger easily holds her own in the film's most difficult role.

When we first see Meryl Streep's happy homemaker in One True Thing, she's a domestic dinosaur circa late '80s, a regular mommy monster. [18 September 1998, p.3E]

Although the plot rarely excels, the actors bring enough to their roles to transform this motion picture into a satisfying weeper.

Bluntly, poignantly believable.

As sensitively written, fluidly directed and expertly acted as it is, and as elemental as its dramatic conflicts may be, One True Thing has trouble breaking free of its limitations as a small-scale, modestly aimed family drama.

The framing story is pointless and almost insulting, even though it's part of former New York Times columnist Anna Quindlen's novel.

In a confused world, this is a movie with answers.