Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Sarita Rafferty There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

PeachHamBeach L.I.E. (Long Island Expressway) is a realistic portrayal of wayward, disaffected youth on Long Island NY and the one boy in the midst of them that only needs a guiding influence in his life. Howie (Paul Franklin Dano) has lost his mother (offscreen). His Dad has already got a new bimbo in the house, and has questionable work ethics that have the FBI watching him like a hawk. Meanwhile, Howie goes neglected, so he has befriended several J.D.s in the neighborhood, including the tattooed young hustler Gary (Billy Kay). If you enjoyed (or even not so enjoyed but were impressed with) films like THIRTEEN, KIDS, and BULLY, you will find L.I.E. a riveting, compelling story of children who have fallen through the cracks. The Big John character (Brian Cox) is not meant to be viewed as a hero. He is a pedophile, simple and plain. He does one "good" deed, but if the story had ended differently, it would have remained to be seen whether Big John's actions were truly honorable. So he is no hero. Lots of bad people do good things every day. This isn't a movie that makes judgments and makes decisions for the viewer.

tonymurphylee Howie Blitzer is having some serious trouble dealing with the death of his mother. His father is never around and is constantly with other women and his only friend is Gary, another troubled kid who Howie is sexually attracted to and who leads him and a couple other misfits to houses to steal from. Eventually, Howie and Gary rob the house of a pederast named Big John(Brian Cox). Big John finds Howie and at first sees him as another teenager that he can fool around with. However, upon meeting Howie, he realizes that Howie doesn't needs a father figure more than he needs a sexual partner.There is one single flaw with the film. That is the ending. The film ends in heartless violence. It would have been better to end ambiguously. However, even that single flaw doesn't make me love the film any less. This is one of those films that is so honest, so pitch-perfect in the people it is depicting, so fearless in what it's willing to show, that, to me, it is almost required viewing.This film really spoke to me. I can really relate to it in a lot of ways because I had a terrible time back when I was fifteen since I had been bullied around and didn't really have anyone to talk to. I had experienced the loss of people I loved as well, and I dealt with those bad feelings for a while. I can really relate to the Howie character. I think we all, at one time or another, felt a little like Howie Blitzer. He's a great character. Despite his problems, he still is a good writer and he still appreciates art and the things that matter to him. The performances are remarkably natural and extraordinary, the cinematography is top-notch, the script is both hilarious and heartbreaking, and the whole film has such a strong sense of intensity and ferocity that it's really difficult to stop watching it once you start. It does everything a film is supposed to do. It's extremely entertaining, challenging, and bizarre. It's one of the best films of the 21st century.

stevejamisonlmi This movie was a kind of random pick at the video store. I only read the back and figured it might be an OK movie. Having my mom's life cut short I though it might be a movie a can relate to. Wow is all I can say. Very powerful movie that has so much for anyone regardless of age. It touched on very relevant topics that kids and parents should be aware of. Having grown up in the burbs and having a father who to this day is very much like Howies father I relived many feeling I did when I was 15. The way that Howie misses his mom and the poems associated were so personal to me. The feelings of loss displayed in this movie are so close to the ones I still have today. This movie has made my top 10 list for sure.

Race Dowling (racedowling) As a sexuality educator I was impressed by the straightforward, nonjudgmental nature of a rather difficult topic. I vacillated between giving this film an 8 or a 9 and decided on 9 because we need more films like this. This topic requires understanding, not acceptance mind you, but real honest understanding. The very fact that it was given an nc-17 rating is part of the problem with our society. There was about as much sex as I've seen in R or even PG-13 movies, the rating was obviously ONLY because of the uncomfortable subject matter. How can society solve a problem that it clearly does not even want to talk about, let alone understand?