If you notice, throughout the movie, the accents change. Gabriel Byrne (John Newland) changes his accent from one scene to the next. Laura Linney (Mary Newland) sometimes talks in her normal voice and sometimes has an accent. They are supposed to be in Virginia, but many of them talk like are from the deep South. Also, both of the Newlands, most of the towns-people, and Lawrence all have southern accents, but Michael McCann (Steve Martin), Mathilda (Alana Austin), and April (Katherina O'Hara) seem to have no accents. Also, why does Mathilda go from a blonde baby, to a brunette todler, then back to a blonde kid and pre-teen? That drives me nuts!