Personal Effects

The film started off very unassuming. Before you know it tho, I was hopelessly engaged in a poignant story told bona fide. The cast was unison in being their characters, and a sense of balance threaded through the entire film. Everyone humbly served the plot. That was truly inspiring, in this age saturated with blockbusters and stars, where we're used to having our senses bombarded with glamour.

Being a sucker for photography, I have to say: brilliant. It reminds me of Darius Khonji's (DOP) Before the Rain...I loved the look of the entire movie, especially the warmth that surrounded Tom's house opposite the rest of the gloom. To me it was metaphor for Tom's heart: honest and good. Beautifully done!

I thought Ashton was amazing. I though the young deaf man was great. Aleks Paunovic=Tom: heart rendering...visceral. I've seen Paunovic in various roles, and every time I get lost in the character! Wow! I hope we get to see lots more of this actor. Tom was as sweet and attention grabbing as John Coffey in The Green Mile.

As for the film as a whole, a sense of oneness of all it's elements, very coherent and intentional. I felt strung by the development of the events. I like Hollander's style. This is a great representation of American film. I hope it does festivals in Europe as well. It contradicts Hollywood and it's a very truthful representation of the majority of American people. Not the BIG people's lives only. I really like that. Thank you, to the director.

What I absolutely LOVED about the movie, is that even though it was about difficult situations, I didn't 'drown' at the end. I survived, not in the big kind of 'SAVE THE WORLD DAY' but in the 'it's possible that things will turn out good' kinda way. To me, this was a story about HOPE. Just what we need these days. Congarats!

I usually don't watch Lifetime movies but it was a rare Saturday Night that i was home.. nothing else was on...the tube... Turned to Lifetime and saw an original TV film with Michelle Pfeifer was about to begin.."Personal Effects" The minute it stated I was hoooked... Love Michelle Pfeifer and she was excellent in the role of a somewhat older woman who falls for (through various circumstances) a younger man, played by Aston Kutcher ..now I've heard of him but had never (i thought seen him act ) Not only is he good looking and a"hunk" but he can really act he played the part of a confused somewhat depressed young man so well..I felt so sympathetic towards him ..Excellent performance know now, thanks to IMDb.that he's married to Demi Moore, and I did see him in "Bobby" and possibly the "70's Show". He was wonderful as was Michelle and the entire cast including Kathy Bates in another unbelievably good performance as "Kutcher's mom . Very adult quite graphic ,a bit violent but very well done and well acted.. The plot has a few implausabilities and was a bit confusing but stick with it... One of the best made for TV films I've seen in awhile Shown on the Lifetime Network

This movie was well written and the acting was far beyond my expectations.

Not that the whole cast isn't already great, but Ashton K was really much better than I expected him to be at acting without words... I'm used to enjoying comedy and far out roles for him...but his take on an ordinary character with problems was unexpectedly deep and rang true.

The ending and the overall message that the movie left was also a pleasant surprise. I first thought this movie was going to be a study in the gloom of sudden loss. I think viewers will smile if they watch thru to the last frame ...there's a nice little twist if you look close.

I have to admit, I started with a prejudice against Ashton Kutcher. I should have learned from my initial unsubstantiated dislike of Brad Pitt. He is one of those handsome young men whose movie credentials haven't been impressive. I wonder if perhaps that stems from lack of opportunity. I see a film like this as a transitional one where we can see his acting ability. He does a nice job with the angst and anger brought about by the utter unfairness of life. Bad things happen and justice isn't done and we shouldn't pass judgment on a life if we don't have some real knowledge of that person. I liked the chemistry between the two leads. The relationship with the deaf son was a bit of a reach. There's no reason they communicated so badly. There is written speech, lip reading, and other forms of communication; even the most basic elements of sign language. It makes Kutcher's character seem rather shallow to think that he would spend so much time with this boy and still not literally understand him. Things do get a bit contrived at the end (I won't spoil it), but if you want to take away a single thing from this film. realize the pain that is life and the possibilities that those painful things can hand you.

Stars ashton kutcher and and michelle pfeiffer. Younger man, older cougar. And the cougar's deaf son. They have both recently lost family members, so they at least have that in common. They are both still pretty messed up emotionally, so they lean on each other. Co-stars kathy bates and spencer hudson. It feels like someone's actual life story, but it's pretty good. Gets quite serious. Directed by david hollander. Appears to be his first full length director debut. Based on a short story by rick moody. One of his two projects turned into film.