Empire Falls (TV) (2005)

Running the Empire Grill while attempting to deal with myriad life crises proves to be a tough job for Miles Roby (Ed Harris) in EMPIRE FALLS. Miles picked up the managerial reigns some 20 years ago, but has subsequently struggled to maintain the business. To compound his worries, Miles has to put up with the constantly erratic behavior of his father, Max (Paul Newman), and the attentions of the hardheaded owner of the Empire Grill, Francine Whiting (Joanne Woodward). To make matters worse, Miles's wife Janine (Helen Hunt) leaves him, but despite all these problems, Miles can't tear himself away from this sleepy part of Maine and start a new life. Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Richard Russo, this is a faithful adaptation that creates an unwavering portrait of small-town American life.