Disappointment for a huge fan!

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

This film features a very young Adrien Brody. Though it isn't the most 'polished' film in the world and obviously had a fairly small-budget, that doesn't detract from the plot. Adrien plays a very convincing part as 'Ray', and the other actors are also totally convincing. I picked this DVD up just thinking it would pass on two hours of my life, but I was immediately drawn in to the action. It's not the most fast-paced film in the world, but anyone who likes human stories will enjoy this film. The conflict between Ray and his father reminded me of so many father-son relationships, and it was great to see that portrayed so clearly. I'm sure everyone will relate to part of the story - even if it's just in Ray's hopes and dreams of bettering himself.This film is well worth watching if you get the opportunity.

This was the first movie that I saw Adrien Brody with a major role. He gave an excellent performance. The movie is above average but Adrien stands out above everyone else and makes the movie better than it should be. Very few actors have made such an impression with me. Robert DeNiro, Betty Davis and Montgomery Clift are the others.The thing that impressed me most about Brody was that he was so damn convincing as someone with a serious gambling problem. His interrelationship with his girlfriend and drinking buddies was fascinating to watch. This movie is in a class with "Diner" and "Mean Streets"

This very underrated film was my first experience with the astoundingly talented Adrien Brody, and though the story is dark and unsettling, his performance makes up for a myriad of faults. The character of Ray is hard to like, but Brody makes him so human and recognizable he pulls you in and gets you rooting for him anyway. What is amazing is that he was all of 22 when he made this film. Do we have a new James Dean?

Would that this film had wider distribution. Those of us who have see it, are indeed fortunate. A Jersey Gem.