This is a masterpiece. Jennifer Fox is a genius. Writing and directing? Amazing. And, apparently, she actually wrote the story at age 13 that this movie is based on. Wow. The directing is so subtle, the mixture of past and present, the interaction of the characters, the woman and her mother. Stellar performances by all.

P.S. The subject matter, sexual abuse of a minor, is not everyone's cup of tea. If you're offended by it, or don't think it's important enough to have its own movie, don't watch "The Tale." I wasn't familiar with it until I became a therapist, but now I know it occurs and is a devastating and life-altering experience. This movie handles it fantastically. But if you don't want to see a film about it, don't watch this movie.

Jennifer Fox, you are brilliant. Please keep going. Have you got another one of these for us?

SPOILER: This "HBO" movie "The Tale" based on a true story is one that's provocative, blunt, intimate and very personal as it opens up secrets from the past. Laura Dern(in a fine turn) is Jennifer(a sexy colored bra wearing lady) a college professor who seems to like life and is also involved in an intimate interracial relationship. Then things change when Jennifer's mother finds a story and a working of letters she wrote as a 13 year old girl.

These writings bring back memories of interactions with other girls and remembered are horse riding lessons at summer camp. Yet deep and dark and the way it reveals thru words the haunted past of the memory of her first sexual relationship.

Much of the film is shown thru flashback and yesterday like style as memories of the past prove to be revealing and painful for Jennifer only this leads to a blunt and brash truth seeker style that she confronts head on facing her own demon. Overall well done film that's truth revealing showing the past is often open to pain as it can haunt and make one come to terms with it just the way that Jennifer did.

Jennifer Fox (Laura Dern) is a globe-trotting documentarian. She's engaged to Martin (Common) for the past 3 years and they're both often away for work. She teaches documentary filmmaking at a college. Her mother (Ellen Burstyn) is desperate to contact her after finding her old writing assignment. The memories of a childhood relationship resurface. She slowly investigates the scattered pieces of recollections. During the 70's, Jenny (Isabelle Nélisse) was a shy girl at 13. Her parents were fighting and she felt invisible. She worshipped her horse riding coach Mrs. G (Elizabeth Debicki). Mrs. G and running coach Bill Allens (Jason Ritter) were having an affair. They pulled Jenny into their secret relationship of which Bill took advantage.

This HBO film tells a devastating tale. Laura Dern's performance is a nice growth from denial to realization. It's all on her face like when her student recounts her first sexual experience. Other standouts include Nélisse as the young Jenny and Jason Ritter. Nélisse is perfectly innocent and Ritter uses his personable charms to deviate from the normal creep trope. It's quite horrific. Obviously, this is a personal movie for filmmaker Jennifer Fox. It would have added to the reality of the movie if young Jenny read the assignment writing at the beginning of the movie. Better yet if young Jenny read Jennifer Fox's actual letter. It would be that much more poignant. Overall, this is devastating personal tale with a great performance.