Excellent, a Must See

Charming and brutal

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

What's the point? Self-consciously "profound" voice-over narration to show empty sensitivity of a lowlife girl was the first-scene warning as to how bad this thing was. But the lowlife girl was pretty till her eye got knocked out, and her men were good sleazy fun, easy on the eyes, except the blond guy, who was kind of a geek. But it's all an exercise in pointlessness and self-indulgent artiness... Hillbilly Gothic that started at the bottom and went down from there. Had a really stupid ending too, which I think was supposed to be ironic, or poetic, but was just annoying and unresolved. The direction was over-the-top portentous and pretentious, taking this pointless exercise as something profound, but not winning me over as a convert. I know the work of McCullers and O'Conner well (not to mention Faulkner), and this heavy-handed attempt at southern Gothic horror is embarrassing in its lack of substance and lack of any of the qualities of the above-mentioned. I caught it on Lifetime (Your Movie's On), and it's clear why, as that "network" has a pathology for trailer trash women in jeopardy. This one certainly fits that bill, but all serious or knowledgeable movie-watchers, beware.

First of all, I really enjoy Dominique Swain in a very dramatic role like this one. Her emotions range perfectly from spastic to sultry to smart. I was very entertained by her performance in this film. I caught it on TV and found myself getting annoyed with the commercial breaks. I would love to see it unedited. The film reminded me very much of a Flannery O'Connor story. It was deranged and twisted, as her stories often are, and it had the Southern tragedy down pat.I wish I had known of this film sooner. It didn't have a huge budget, I am sure. It was still very, very entertaining. I recognized many of the other actors such as Flowers and Edgar from other films and thought they were cast well for the roles they played. Strange and fascinating story that would seem unbelievable to most, which is what gives it such intrigue.

Maybe it's because I came into this film with no idea what to expect, because I saw it "clean", without anybody's opinions to sway me one way or another, but my overall reaction was of very, very pleasant surprise. Delight, even. Well, it is always a delight to discover hidden treasure and this is no exception.With this subject matter it could well have gone otherwise. But director Zev Berman was clearly in charge, deftly cutting a path through the swamp and deep into the psyches of his edgy, creepy and nonetheless poignant cast of characters. Yes, they are well-known, these backwoods types, but the acting and especially the fine, teasing character of Flowers as he unveiled the scheming intelligence and grand purpose behind his initial apparent "slowness", kept them from being clichéd.Indeed, Arie Verveen's performance alone was worth the price of admission. But all of the actors' emotional commitment to their roles was palpable. The scene in which Edgar erupts in rage at his pathetic life and takes it out on Inez was particularly hard to watch, but because of that extremely effective. Less intense, but equally compelling were the tension and contrast between Inez' life with Edgar and her dream life in town.The setting was atmospheric in that wonderfully sordid and creepy Southern Gothic kind of way. At the same time the cinematography brought a dark, elegant clarity to the scenery, and the intelligent score enhanced the emotional content without intruding on the experience.Overall, as I said at the outset, this film dances a fine line that could have ended in the land of stereotype and unintentionally laughable characterizations. But the line held, and the fact that it was so fine made the experience all the more clever, edgy and provocative. There is a smart, discerning eye and a sure hand at work here, and I for one look forward to Zev Berman's next opus.

OK, I have strange tastes. That aside, this is an amazing film with an unfortunate title that doesn't give a hint of the quality of the material. Really, those who have a broad background in theatre and cinema will appreciate the beauty and genius of the writing and directing.There are so many strong dramatic elements at play. It draws on the techniques of Shakespeare, Tennesee Williams, Eugene O'Neill. It is also a striking contemporary example of a full blown Greek Tragedy, highlighting the wide spectrum and subtleties of human nature. It deftly plays off opposites showing the dark and light sides of the characters and over the course of the film it clearly reveals the dawning of their understanding and finally the shining light of realization is played out in tragic and symbolic semi-blindness.In my opinion this film is certainly a masterpiece if not a Masterpiece.