Eye of God

This is one of very few movies that I can actually say changed my life. There has never been any other film or work of art that has had such an emotional effect on me. Martha Plimpton and Nick Stahl are extraordinary; never have I cared so much for two fictional characters. And writer/director Tim Blake Nelson could not have possibly done better for his film debut. This is a movie you will never forget.

I love independent cinema, and Eye of God is a great example of what a good independent movie should be. The real-life situations depicted are as twisted as real life is, and the acting is at points absolutely adorable (Plimpton) and absolutely chilling (Stahl). I thought that the cinematography was profound, and that the way the way the plot weaved the story through was brilliant. Maybe it's because I'm easily impressed (by Martha Plimpton; by stories of Twin Peaks-like small-town dramatic horror; by the lengths some writers, directors, and producers go to to create meaningful cinema; or all three, and then some more), but this movie left me feeling like something had happened To Me, and I was shattered and felt uneasy for a good two hours afterward, which I think really is the sign of a good film. Also, as an addendum, whereas some independent cinema seems contrived and at the same time pretentious, this movie was neither. And by the way, I loved it, and you might, too!

I thought it was quite good. It gave me a feeling I haven't felt since I saw Sleepers. I loved the way the director overlapped scenes, and used flashbacks to tell the story. This is success where Pulp Fiction failed. All the characters were believable, and all the performances were good. In particular, I was impressed with the depth of emotion Nick Stahl portrayed without saying a word for the whole first half of the movie. Sometimes the ending you don't want makes the movie that much better.

Directed by Tim Blake Nelson, most recently recognisable from his performances in Holes and The Good Girl, Eye of God is a story of doomed love and loneliness told out of order.

Martha Plimpton is Ainsley Dupree (a name I think sounds quite cool and have since used in stories of my own) a waitress who falls in love with a dangerous ex-con (Kevin Anderson). After wondering what the hell she has soon married into she seeks comfort with lonely teenager Tom.

I liked this movie a lot and the performances were very good all round. Especially Holbrook, he was just so believable as an old sheriff who's seen it all. Nick Stahl is much better here than he was in Disturbing Behavior. I think the last few scenes with him and Martha Plimpton were quite intimate and it really made the whole movie totally enjoyable for me.

Highly recommended but quite a rare film to come across in stores or on TV.

I have watched this film approximately five times, and the depth of the acting and brilliant presentation of the plot continue to impress me.

A small-town girl, played by Martha Plimpton, marries an ex-convict (who has to wear an ankle detector as a condition of his parole) immediately after he is released from prison. What evolves during the course of this movie forces viewers to consider faith versus the harsh reality of dealing who some people truly are at heart.