Rowena Lawson (Anne Heche) and her kids are left homeless after her biker boyfriend gets arrested. They even leave behind their dog as they crash with her religious mother Louela Lawson (Diane Ladd). Rowena continues her drug use and her sleazy boyfriend tries to rape her oldest daughter Gracie Thompson (Kristen Bell). Rowena gets arrested for dealing. The family is split up among youth facilities. The kids are reunited in their grandmother's home while Rowena is locked up. Tommy is infatuated with Gracie. The second daughter Rose Carlton gets knocked up and moves in with her boyfriend. Rowena comes back after getting out of jail and starts stealing the welfare money. At 17, Gracie battles to gain guardianship over her younger step-siblings.

It's a sincere Lifetime movie. The story is very much the expected melodrama. The good comes from excellent work from the actresses. Diane Ladd is the veteran hand. Anne Heche is great as the wild mother. Kristen Bell delivers a solid effort in an early staring role. It's a TV movie elevated by the superior actresses.

Outstanding film dealing with a 16 year old who tries to bring stability to a totally dysfunctional family.

There is a truly outstanding performance by Anne Heche as the dysfunctional mother who neglects her children to lead a most disgusting life in pursuit of a good time. Heche is ably supported by Diane Ladd, a religious woman who can quote the bible but could not control her rebellious daughter.

The film deals with how a sharp 16 year old has to learn to play the system to keep her brothers together. Bright, perceptive and unfortunately victimized by a sick mother, Kristen Bell gives a splendid performance.

I enjoyed the part where she meets a black young man who becomes her boyfriend. Nothing is made of the inter-racial relationship nor the fact that the young man has a black father and white mother.

This film shows that a court system can work to the advantage of its victims.

"Gracie's Choice" is an excellent made for TV movie about the uphill battle of one child to preserve her family, despite social workers, an ex-convict for a mother (well played by Anne Heche) and a system that offered her little help.

At first, one may think this to be the usual run-of-the mill feel good movie; against foster parents, depicting the dysfunctional family in America. Not so; it is a hopeful story which Kristen Bell, (as Gracie) must care for her half- brothers and sisters (they are all illegitimate) before she even graduates high school.

The story is initially sad, showing Heche as an irresponsible, possibly disturbed woman. She has many children, does not know who their fathers are, and manipulates her elderly mother (Diane Ladd) into supporting all of them- she basically collects welfare support for each child and squanders it.

As Gracie matures, she sees her mother for what she truly is, and decides she must adopt the younger children. Her sister becomes pregnant at 16 to escape the situation, and goes off to live with a different boyfriend. Gracie emerges stronger, with the help of social services and her counselor she finds an apartment, a job, and attends school and graduates as well.

Overall, this is a good film, because it accurately depicts a true story, the reasons kids have children prematurely, and the ultimate responsibility it is of the parent (in this case, negligent Anne Heche),for the kids turning to out the way they do.