Super mediocre. Neither hilarious nor moving nor suspenseful, through it aims to be each before the end. It just goes from scene to scene to scene, measured and a tad boring. The main character is so flat and reactive. There is no real sympathetic/unsympathetic tension; he is just there, a living cardboard cutout. This is not a slight against Tobey Maguire, of whom I am a fan. He is just playing an uninteresting character. In the ocean of American independent films exploring crisis, sexuality, and moral decay in white suburbia, this film is undistinguished at best and dire at worst. It does become more anxious and intriguing during its last ten or so minutes (shifting into a mode reminiscent of Crimes and Misdemeanors and Match Point), though the trailer and poster reveal the best and most surprising shot.

C-

The Details

I enjoyed it very much. Apart from, at times, it seeming like Tobey Maguire is incredibly mis-cast, it was a very good quirky-turn-of-events black comedy. I thought the actual details were funny, and the lessons/observations about life were very true. Ray Liotta was back to his best, which hasn't been seen in a long while, although it was a small supporting role. I wish they made more movies like this.

The piano shot at the end is very well done, and the scene on the bridge between Maguire and Liotta is pretty damn brilliant.

B