THIS is a folk-tale-like story set in the back hills of a forgotten Southern town. Raymond, a reclusive young man discovers an abandoned baby in the woods. The moment is captured in a striking manner as he carries the baby in one hand, shotgun and dead squirrel in the other hand. His initial intention is to pawn the baby off to a local woman. But he soon finds that none of the women are willing to take responsibility for yet another child. Gradually, he comes to care for the baby as if it is his own.

There are many touching scenes of man and child, a rare portrayal that undeniably tugs at the heartstrings. The fairy tale like nature of the story is introduced, but never quite takes hold. The child appears to have unspecified powers - the most striking being her rapid development. The circumstances surrounding her abandonment turn out to be of a horrific nature. The "bad man" is Truman Lester the child's father. He menacingly slinks around searching for the child and at one point gets his hands on her, sniffing and fondling the new-born with a kind of psychotic lust, before she is returned to the protective arms of Raymond.

Parts of the movie are well done and some of the shots of man and child are sure to warm the heart. But it's all a bit too over the top for my liking.