Getting to Know You

An unlikely concept to link together three short stories with the theme that all are waiting at the same bus depot sounds rather a cliche but the remarkable writing pulls everything together flawlessly. Almost all the acting is very strong. I think there are some future stars here. I think most Americans will be able to identify with what happens to these characters, even if their own lives are actually a little more calm. The best and the worst of the human spirit are both realistically intertwined.

this is now one of my favorite films of all time. the way everything played out was amazing. not to mention, the movie kept my interest the entire time. this was, without a doubt, heather matarozzo's best work.

I saw this film at the Gen Art Film Festival in NYC 1999 and looking back over the last year's films think it's one of the year's best. An especially satisfying story with fresh, unconventional performances and brilliant cinematography and scenic design. I was especially struck by the look of the movie.

The blue and green tones throughout the film were haunting.

Martarazzo, Weston, and Braff are amazing in the three lead roles of this independently made slice-of-life film. Bebe Neuwirth plays the mother with her customary excellence. Terrific support is supplied by Bo Hopkins, Celia Weston, Mary McCormack, and Tristine Skyler as people hanging around the bus station. The intermingling of Joyce Carol Oates short stories as apocryphal tales told by Weston is brilliant. However, the film bogs down significantly when it comes time to reveal Martarazzo and Braff's family secrets. Nevertheless, a nice touch at the end brings is helpful in restoring the magic. Altogether, this is a nice independent effort for the promising Lisanne Skyler, but it could have been a tad tighter.

I was totally involved in this movie. It was so intimate--frighteningly intimate. I loved the way that the characters stories slowly evolved. I also loved the settings in the down-and-out areas of New Jersey: neighborhoods on the verge of falling into complete collapse, but not there yet.

All the actors were remarkable, particularly Heather Matarazzo and the actor who played Jimmy. My only criticism is that everything is tied up so neatly: people resolve problems by remembering and admitting the awful things that happened in their lives. It's not so easy in real life. Oh well, that's the movies, and this is a very good movie.