thomasjane

I have no idea whatsoever why but I actually liked the film- not at all how it's described on the box. Brad Rowe plays the son of Harvey Keitel, an Italian-American success story and mom Mary Kay Place, a typical Jewish mother. The lead girl in the film I had seen on recent episodes of "Seventh Heaven". But this movie explores areas of life that just aren't explored in too many films, if any. That is the need for a man to become a father. All the time in films it is explored the need for women to become mothers, but the men are treated as if fatherhood is not for them. Myself, I personally have no wish to ever become a dad, but that's not to say there aren't women who have no desire to ever become a mother. But this was certainly an interesting film with an interesting concept. Well done.

I was really moved by this film. Thinking back to my own days when I was thirteen, they in no way resembled this thirteen year old's endeavors. The images in this film are quite disturbing. I've seen that Evan Rachel Wood in Tim Hutton's film "Digging to China". She has quite come into her own as an actress here. Images of this young girl doing drunks, drinking, having sex (implied, not shown), and cutting herself, are all very squeemish. Yes, this girl is a cutter. For those who have not heard of that term before, it's when a teenage girl has a self loathing thing for herself, and takes a razor and cuts marks on her wrist, arm, etc.. It's all very weird. Holly Hunter is excellent as her free-wheeling single mother. Her much younger suitor is played by ex-cokehead Jeremy Sisto, who I just thought was so great many years ago as a fifteen year old in Lawrence Kasdan's masterpiece "Grand Canyon".

All in all, this film was a very excellent, yet disturbing look at a teen's spiraling out of control. A wake up call for single parents of teens everywhere. Do you know what your teenager is really up to?

I really liked this movie. It had so much character and depth for a Ridley Scott movie. I heard people say Nick Cage's character was over the top, but I don't agree. I thought he gave yet another stellar performance and should have been nominated for an oscar again. Sam Rockwell was also excellent as his partner in crime. Alison Lohman (fresh off "White Oleander") in many ways steals the show. She is quite great as Cage's long lost daughter.

Overall, a highly moving and entertaining film. I thought long and hard about it, and I guess I'm going to have to say this is Ridley Scott's best film to date. Most of his past films (IE "Blade Runner", "Alien", "Gladiator", etc..) have relied so much on visuals and mood, where this film actually has heart.