vincentlynch-moonoi First, to our reviewer popkiss66 from Chicago, just how seriously can we take your "review" when you mention that it was "filmed on location (why spend the extra cash!?) in like kathmandu or something". It was filmed on location in CAMBODIA, which isn't even close to Kathmandu...or something.Now, back to our film: This is not a great film, but it brought something to my mind. While I've ever been a fan, I'm realizing that Matt Dillon is a rather dependable actor, and has been now for a good many years. Although he's not top rank, he also hasn't been a one hit wonder. I may need to reassess his status in American cinema.I have spent several years in Thailand, first visiting often and then living there, as well as some time in Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, and Jakarta. I've never been to Cambodia, but the depiction of the criminal element in Southeast Asia rings true. And that really is the basis of the plot in this story. You have the Westerners (here exemplified by James Caan's character) who think they are smarter than the natives, but end up living a cesspool life. And you have the natives who think they're smarter than the Westerners, not even realizing they are living a cesspool life. There are no winners, only different types of losers. Rather pathetic actually. And it is real.This is not a perfect film, by any means. There are some loose ends as the story unfolds. Some situations that don't quite work. But overall, it's a pretty good story, albeit imperfect. Dillon wrote it, so I give some credit to him.Matt Dillon's acting is dependable (as I mentioned earlier). His characterization is believable. I've always disliked James Caan as an actor, but he is satisfactory here as the main Westerner-crook. Natascha McElhone as the love interest is also acceptable. Gérard Depardieu as a bar owner is interesting, but I fail to see the brilliance alluded to by some reviewers. Kem Sereyvuth does nicely as the Cambodian companion to Dillon's character. Perhaps the best acting is done by Stellan Skarsgård, here another crook.Will I want to watch this again? No. But it is a decent film, and Matt Dillon deserves some kudos for his project.

Clemens Schwaighofer I was extremely surprised about this movie. My girlfriend rented it with a bunch of other movies and I thought this is a bit trashy B-style. But no, this was an amazing intense movie. You could really live with all the characters, you could feel the heat there, how helpless some of those characters are.The movie starts a bit strange, you are not sure what it is actually about, but this gives this sort of "stick to it" feeling. You have to watch it. From that point on, you start to go with it. The struggle, the wandering, the great feeling of the shots. It makes this movie just amazing. You can really FEEL with it. It's very rare that a movie impresses me that much, but this one did it. This is a rare movie definitely worth to be watched.If you are into these kind of darams, that are kind of sad, and do not end with the super happy Hollywood typical hero ending, then you have to check this movie out. I really highly recommend it.

talltimpw The first thing my girlfriend said after watching this Dillon directed film was "wow, I feel like I've been to Cambodia!" City of Ghosts is packed with atmosphere. Really giving us a flavour of life in a beautiful, mysterious Cambodian city. On top of that we have a story which defies prediction. I for the life of me didn't see what was coming in the script. Very well done. Clever dialogue, loaded with insinuation and subtext. Interesting characters too. Nice people, weird people, bad people, mad people. Again, all believable stuff involved in a pretty weird situation. I'd watch this if I were you. Especially if you have a penchant for this part of the world.Tim PW

kalapov I've seen the movie "blindly" (citing one of the comments) and the feeling was for story not so good but having excellent "screen life" – the picture was not boring, with VERY good camera (do you remember how the camera was jumping intriguingly just for a part of second on various objects, over tiny details and fugitive images suggesting the plot). The song of Marvin was impressive and highlighting. Depardieu is notable as usual. The love thread is banal. For Cambodia - yet its tragedy remains unrevealed for the screen and stories like this remain only amusing except the real scenery and original faces. It's worth to see and to think.