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Poster (c) Sony Pictures Classic
There�s basically one reason to see this movie: Frances McDormand. She�s a versatile actress, and here she�s both funny and disturbing. She puts in a powerful, grade-A acting job. Also, Bale and Beckinsale put in great acting jobs as well. This isn�t as much a movie as much as an acting showcase. The movie per se is good, too, but it�s really the acting that makes you love it.
It�s a drama, but it has many funny moments. I�m not going to name them, but there were a good number of them. Something that made this story believable is the music. There�s no tense music in real life, so it�s only there when it�s necessary. It did the movie good. Also, the cinematography was great. It made me believe that I was in Hollywood again.
This is Lisa Cholodenko�s second film she wrote and directed (after 1998�s High Art). The script was great; it was touching, poignant, and funny. The directing was really good; it looked like it was all in one shot, which is also kudos to the cinematography. In all art-house movies like this, all of the movies look the same, and this is no different. It really is an art-house movie, and not everyone will love it. But I�m not �not everyone�.
Rated R for sexuality, language, and drug use.
Review Date: April 26, 2003
