William Vincent

This is a movie that is beautiful with photography and that is the only positive thing I can say about it.

This film could have been great with the cast it has. James Franco does a great job of the brooding, James Dean like character. Josh Lucas as the dark, controlling bad guy is very good. Freckled Julianne Nelson is beautiful as the femme fatale, but the director seems to be attempting to imitate a good french movie but just fails.

If you like minutes long scenes of an actor's face, a room, an actor walking, you might enjoy this film. If it was condensed to a half hour drama, it might be great. Otherwise, it is not worth the time.

OK this movie is SO slow, if you are making a noir, you must demand excellent writing and story, not some mash up half-done gangster plot. A mopey Franco , a lot of meaningless blank stares. don't attempt things with this bad effort. "you sound like you're in a movie" was used twice, Really? I thought Lucas was a good villain, and martin Donovan held there own, but the leads had no real chemistry. Franco wasn't pulling his weight, although not totally his fault given the substandard script.

If you're into a lot of good camera shots over accordion music with odd fragmented cutaways that lend little to pushing the story forward than the movie is for you.

Okay, first of all, I gotta say that I don't think the rating of this movie is very fair.

The rhythm of the movie is slow, so if you're not the type of person who could sit still for two hours and adore the visualization of a slow film, just let it go.

After the ending, I began thinking how the movie had no purpose at all and that it wasn't sending out a message. And then I thought, maybe it wasn't supposed to. Maybe it was just trying to show a small part of a depressed, not-finding-a-meaning-in-life guy's life. And even so, it still lacked something, it was a little lost, like there wasn't much thought behind the story. It wasn't very well figured out, neither were the characters.

But the good news is, it gets you thinking. The photography is beautiful, and so is the acting. James Franco does a great job in this one, every expression on his face has a meaning behind it, the tone of his voice, how the characters linger before saying something, that is All very good. Not so many great lines though, it's mostly body language.

After all, I think it's worth watching. There are many beautiful scenes that you wouldn't want to miss, regardless of the not-so-good story.

This movie is different. It does have some recognizable names in it and it might sound intriguing. But it might also bore you to death. Saying this was moving at a snails pace would be an exaggeration. Some people might call this "Artsy", some will call it waste of time. It's tough to say what corner you'll be belonging to.

But you will be able to tell, where your feeling about the movie lie, after a couple of minutes. Though you might not always be able to tell what the characters feel at any given minute. There was a very irritating scene with James Franco, where he is being asked things (mostly about his emotional state). It almost looks like he's about to crack up and laugh. Not something that seems fitting considering the situation he's in. That might be over analyzing, but watching this movie will bring this sort of thinking out of you

I give this a solid 7 out of 10 due to the fact that it was, in my eyes, a very original film full of emotion and body-language.

A must see art film.

James Franco shines in this subtle film that puts you through different moral standing that will make you ask, "why would he do that?", just as the characters in the story are asking Franco's character. Shot with a "real-world" aspect this plot lays in front of you waiting to be uncovered just as the end will lay in your thoughts.

If you have ever felt out of place or different in this crazy world take a look through this genuine character's eyes.