I wouldn't call this a family movie despite the weird mix of family friendly vibes, lesser production values, and cons in prison looking at porno mags near the start. An awful lot of this fell flat for comedy and for the good vibes and whatnot I associate with the "family friendly" descriptor I'd seen that imdb gave it.

There are no musical numbers (save Richard Thompson's very good but sadly misused soundtrack),and it doesn't take place in Iowa. But the story of a charming conman who sells a small town a bill of goods and then feels badly about it rings very familiar, complete with blundering yokels, unwanted echoes of the conman's past, and even a cute Opie-esque little boy. The movie does not, however, contain significant amounts of charm, inventiveness, or character. Don't bother.

A lovely film that appears to have been quite overlooked. I had never heard of it before, but having just recently discovered it, this warm and funny movie is a diamond in the rough. The story is familiar, but well done, with beautiful location scenes and memorable characters. Karen Allen is radiant in this, and the film is worth watching even if only for her enjoyable romantic comedy turn. Bryan Brown is convincing as a the con man who just might be persuaded to change his stripes, and has great chemistry with both Allen and young Justin Rosniak, playing her son. Themes of love, redemption and family all factor into the story, making it suitable for family viewing. An enjoyable, if oft-overlooked film.