generic230

Look, this movie was really enjoyable. It was like watching through the window of someone's house, which I like to do. If you don't like doing that and you need formulaic movies as prescribed by Syd Fields, then this isn't gonna be your cup of tea. But, honestly, so it's no f-ing masterpiece, that doesn't mean it's a piece of crap. It was GOOD. And these days, that should be reward enough. You can't drink $500 bordeaux every day, but that doesn't mean that a really good $20 bottle of wine is a horror. Just enjoy.

After seeing this I was impressed by so many things, but it felt so After School Special, and here's why: The writing is really good, and the writer Doug Atchison did a wonderful job of getting some amazing performances out of his actors, but the whole damn thing is lit like a sitcom. There is absolutely no MOOD, or AMBIENCE or TONE. Like in Boogie Nights. The shots are all really flat, and lit like a sunporch. The camera wasbasically locked down and aimed at the scene. That is a real shame, because this movie could have been even better. Doug, you;re an amazing writer, but PLEASE, let someone else direct it next time. You need someone who has a visual style. Like Alan Ball had Sam Mendes on American Beauty. The writing was stellar, but the director put it together visually. I hope you make more films, you did an excellent job.

Okay, why I never even knew this brilliant show was still on ABC is probably a good explanatuon for why the network has steadily sunk in the ratings for the last three years. That they are not screaming from the treetops about this amazing, well-written, shockingly moving series is an outrage. Better than ER, which has steadily declined into weekly bus accidents or brain tumors, this series draws you in. Andre Braugher is someone I love to watch. Boy is he good. He makes me love an already pretty excellent show.