This film is beautifully crafted. Rarely has a jagged time line film been so engaging (films like Memento and 21 Grams copy this style, and only 21 Grams does it well).
Far from the over-produced fluff Hollywood is famous for churning out - you shouldn't expect your food to be chewed for you here. This is a movie for thinkers. Granted, very early in the film, you know what has happened, but this isn't a "whodunit" or a murder mystery so much as a highly evolved character study that moves with the grace of a swan in a dream. Despite the brutality, despite the violence of the content, the sublime performances and the delicacy of the director's touch enchant you. This is rockabye baby, until the cradle falls from the tree.
The acting, from all of the characters, is utterly flawless. You don't even see acting at all. It's hard not to feel like a voyeur peeking into this small town reality. The ending, as some others have commented, may be traumatic for those who have survived similar experiences. There are some visually brutal sequences and the camera is NOT merciful. You WILL experience everything right along with the characters... ...and then you will be left in silence.
Far from the over-produced fluff Hollywood is famous for churning out - you shouldn't expect your food to be chewed for you here. This is a movie for thinkers. Granted, very early in the film, you know what has happened, but this isn't a "whodunit" or a murder mystery so much as a highly evolved character study that moves with the grace of a swan in a dream. Despite the brutality, despite the violence of the content, the sublime performances and the delicacy of the director's touch enchant you. This is rockabye baby, until the cradle falls from the tree.
The acting, from all of the characters, is utterly flawless. You don't even see acting at all. It's hard not to feel like a voyeur peeking into this small town reality. The ending, as some others have commented, may be traumatic for those who have survived similar experiences. There are some visually brutal sequences and the camera is NOT merciful. You WILL experience everything right along with the characters... ...and then you will be left in silence.