Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

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

Sherazade only from some of the cast. The film is not as cohesive as you'd expect from its marquee. On the page it looks likes the who is who of acting are about to tell a riveting tale, I mean we are talking Academy award winners Kim Basinger, Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lawrence (before she won hers of course) flanked by a slew of critically acclaimed supporting actors like Danny Pino, Joaquim de Almeida and Robin Tunney just to name a few. Yet somewhere along the way the story gets quite sluggish and some of the actors begin to look perplexed (especially Theron who is usually above the mark in all her roles) and/or disinterested. Perhaps the most harrowing performance you'll see here comes from Kim Basinger who plays the mother of Mariana (Lawrence & later Theron) and the way she in not so many words conveys the pain, anguish and discontent of her character Nina, a married mother of four who is trapped in a very routine and passionless marriage. Mariana (as played by Lawrence) appears in the flashback scenes in a supporting but very poignant role, her decisions help shape and provide a resolution for the movie.

Tim Kidner What lies beneath our external persona and how we carry our past is an often an untapped, intriguing and even dangerous place to explore - and to return to.So, as we see Charlize Theron, extremely unglamorous as she rises from yet another bed at another man's house, in Portland, Oregon, an air of sadness drifts over us. Yet, as debut director Guillermo Arriaga grapples with his own script - and he has written some corkers - Babel & 21 Grams - we are strangely hooked.We want to see this woman and her life and how it connects with the rest of the film. As guarded restaurateur, Sylvia (Theron) we see that she's preoccupied and soon, she meets up with a figure from the past. From here - and inter-cut with the present, we visit her past life and how childhood events have shaped her. I won't reveal too much about this, except Kim Bassinger plays her mother, who has a torrid affair with Hispanic farmer Nick (Joaquim de Almeida - whom many will recognise but not be able to name!) near their New Mexico home.This is typical independent cinema; often slow, raw and intense and generally, as attractive as real life is - not very. Acting is always compelling and almost uncomfortably real but just because a film ticks all the 'pure' boxes, it doesn't necessarily make for a good film, which needs to be entertaining AND interesting. The latter, generally, yes, the former, not often and somehow the length and story don't make for a film that's totally satisfying. The good cinematography helps, though, as does the sparse and atmospheric music.Many will find the general pessimism of the film a little overbearing and this isn't Arriaga's best script; apparently the movie didn't do well at the box office and maybe the director will go on to produce a better film or write more great scripts for someone else to direct.

gsandra614 Who in the world could picture either Charlize Theron or Kim Bassinger being involved with the scruffy-looking men they are cast opposite in this horrible film? John Corbett as a cook? It's laughable. This is the worst example of casting I've ever seen. Whatever possessed these acclaimed actors and actresses to get involved in this contrived soap opera? Don't waste your time on this tripe. It's just awful to watch it. The plot and situations are stilted and forced. Kim Bassinger making love to a grizzled old guy in a single-wide squalid trailer? It's just unbelievable to think that this film was actually produced and released.

Michael O'Keefe Screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga makes his directorial debut with this sometimes disjointed drama piecing together a web of three love stories that interconnect. Charlize Theron plays a sex craving woman troubled by her past. Kim Basinger is cast as a depressed housewife that needs a torrid adulterous affair to seek completeness. Jennifer Lawrence and J.D. Prado are a couple of teens that enter a forbidden relationship in trying to mourn while trying to understand the horrific death of their parents. If you are already depressed...shy away. You must really devote your attention to this one; but if you get lost the finale will answer any questions. After seeing Miss Lawrence in POKER HOUSE and WINTER'S BONE, I just couldn't pass this film up. No disappointment from where I sit. This movie is not recommended for children. The supporting cast includes: Robin Tunney, Joaquim de Almeida, Jose Maria Yazpik, Tessa La, Danny Pino and John Corbett.