I thought it was very good until the end, which I thought was a little too explicit and false. Joseph Gordon Levitt is a powerhouse actor though, my money is on him having some real staying power.

See Mysterious Skin for more examples.

1 - You mean the climax or the epilogue?

2 - Both really. The epilogue was the worst, voice over and a pat ending. But the climax takes the movie in an entirely predictable, and yet completely unbelievable, direction. It reverts to a pretty straight up genre movie after have all these complex and layered nuances before then. Still, great acting, and there were so many precious moments (I am using that word a lot lately), from his father asking "Do you want me to let you win?" to the villian reaching for his inhaler at the end. I was so amped up 30 minutes in, that I wish that it followed through in the end.

I wouldn't be as harsh about the ending, and I think the epilogue is forgivably designed to send the audience home feeling at ease. I think, despite being nuanced, this was a genre movie from the start - from the title on down it's a genre movie - and they felt a need to satisfy that.

The biggest head-scratcher is how he can't see that these guys are trouble from the start, but I guess I can chalk that up to the big head-scratcher he got from the collision.

I would agree that the strength of the movie is not in the ending, though.

4 - Ha ha.

I agree that it is a genre movie, but it just felt so much more nuanced before it reverted to formula. Even his staying with the guys didn't feel too forced, since Isla Fisher was the tangible reason to do something he felt was wrong. She was the siren and he crashed into the rocks.

My criticisms aside, it is good movie and I highly recommend it.

6 - Yeah, she was a siren all right.

I think I'm with Benaiah on this one. I generally enjoyed it, but was sorely disappointed by the final twenty minutes. Still, it was admirably restrained throughout, and I thought it spoke well to Scott Frank's potential as a director.

Also saw "Grindhouse" today. Liked the Tarantino more than the Rodriguez. But both would have benefited from some cutting.

Oh, and I saw "The Reaping." Don't ask. Don't even ask.

The Levitt kid rocked the stuff in "Brick"

If you haven't seen that movie, and are up for something different, Brick is a heck of a neat movie. Raymond Chandler language in a teen revenge flick. Very interesting.