Jolene (Jessica Chastain) is a 15-year-old red-head who has a beauty and freshness that draws men's attention and adoration, while women tend to see her as an enemy. In order to escape the prison of an unsatisfactory foster home, she decides to marry Mickey (Zeb Newman), a sincere young man who loves her but isn't able to provide for her. They move into a room in his parents' house. Uncle Phil (Dermot Mulroney) is turned on by Jolene and glad to initiate her into the pleasures of steamy (and illegal, given her age) sex. When Aunt Kay (Theresa Russell) discovers this, she kicks Jolene out. Jolene is soon homeless, and after a stint in a "juvenile loony bin" where she has an affair with a lesbian guard (Frances Fisher), she winds up in Phoenix working as a roller-skating waitress at a Dairy Queen. There she falls under the spell of Coco Leger (Rupert Friend), a tattoo parlor owner who volunteers to teach her the trade. She marries this loser and suffers a meltdown when his other wife appears with Coco's baby son.
Jolene is directed by Dan Ireland (Passionada) and based on a short story by E.L. Doctorow. The screenplay by Dennis Yares contains voiceover commentary by Jolene — as she progressively comes of age in a world of flimsy and transitory relationships. Oblivious to the nature of true commitment, she marries because she is flattered by men who tell her she is special. In Las Vegas, she hooks up with Sal Fontaine (Chazz Palminteri) who is very rich and very much taken by her. After his untimely demise, she marries Brad Benton (Michael Vartan) a multi-millionaire born-again Christian who brutalizes her.
Jolene offers two distinguishing gifts: the impressive screen debut of Jessica Chastain and the drama's stout-hearted message that sex on its own cannot sustain an intimate relationship.
Special features on the DVD include a commentary with director Dan Ireland; interviews with Jessica Chastain and additional cast members; and bloopers.
