dj_bassett Jonathan Tucker is back from a six month rehab stint. His stepdad is angry, is mother is clueless, and he has relatives who (Ms. Jennifer Tilly, doing the 'maneater' variant of her persona) want to kill him for the life insurance policy. Overly earnest low-budgeter is so suffused with trying to be 'important' and 'meaningful' and saying something about addiction that it ceases to be entertaining in any way -- it is, in fact, something of a grind to sit through. Though it certainly means well. Cast is good and crew does the best with it's limited budget, giving everything a fairly good gritty blue-collar vibe. But really, the script signals all it's punches, with everyone speaking in a peculiar "writerly" arch kind of way. And it's positively righteous during the flashbacks at the rehab center -- no one doubts the sincerity of it all, but it just clunks about on screen. Not recommended.

bdewar1 I just saw this film on TV; it just ended moments ago. I was pleasantly surprised by the things brought out about people that exist everywhere.The only fault that I found with this truly great motion picture was the ending. I am not saying that all great films should have a happy or sad ending or it is bad to have an ending that leaves the thought, "I wonder" ...What I am saying is that playing fast and loose with so many, many constant flash backs and flash forwards, and then doing the same thing throughout the short, stark ending, can leave the viewer with no idea of what really happens or happened at the end. Is he back with the group session or is that another flash back in the last few seconds of the film?If that was the purpose, as many films have had an ending that leaves one up in the air; I am not sure that doing it via flash forewords or flashbacks, up through and into the last frames, is really smart movie making. It is like having someone spend hours or days reading a novel, only to find out that the last three pages were not printed. That may tread on ... I hate to use the word here on a great film, but here at the end I felt cheated, by a gimmick.Other than that I could not take my eyes off the screen.

jessiebeth This is a great movie--rent it on DVD as fast as you can....The acting is superb, and the writing is some of the best I've seen in years. Nothing rings false, which is rare in my experience. Jonathan Tucker, David Strathairn, and Jennifer Tilly all give true performances, and Ethan Embry is perfect. The setting--the locations--the music--all add to the atmosphere and pull you in till you can't look away. I want to see this movie again in the theaters, but I'll have to make do with the DVD for now... Never predictable, and achingly funny and sad at the same time. See this movie--if you have to go out in the freezing cold snow right now!!

zooeyfan I just saw this movie at the Malibu Film Festival and thought that it was quite wonderful. The story is about a young man named JJ who at 17 years old has been sent away to rehab after driving drunk and getting into an accident. After 6 months away, he returns home to not so open arms. While his mother is excited to see him, his step-father thinks he's a huge screw-up and won't let him live down his previous life as an alcoholic. Meanwhile, his aunt Dot has taken out a $75,000 life insurance policy on JJ and plans to lure him back to drugs and alcohol, and hopefully into an early grave before his 18th birthday. JJ has to struggle to stay sobber amongst his constantly boozing aunt, partying ex-girlfriend, and drug dealing best friend Bobby, whom he owes $3,500. While the story itself is really good, the main thing that makes this movie worth seeing it the terrific performances from everyone involved. Jonathan Tucker is fantastic as the emotionally troubled JJ, and convincingly portrays all the emotions of his character. The only other thing I've seen him in is The Deep End, and while I disliked that movie, his performance there was solid as well. I expect great things from him. And Jennifer Tilly is, of course, perfect as the seductive aunt Dot, who plans to kill JJ for half of his insurance money. The real star of this movie, however, is Ethan Embry, who gives the mostamazing performance I've seen out of him yet. I've been a fan since I saw All I Want For Christmas as the age of 9 or 10, and consider Empire Records one of my favorite movies, but this, this is the movie where he really shines. He plays JJ's drug dealing best friend Bobby, who is willing to break JJ's legs if he doesn't get the $3,500 owed to him by JJ's 18th birthday (just 16 days away). He convincingly portrays a scary, intimidating, just plain crazy guy, and I loved every second.