I found this film so good that I gave it a rating of 10 as I can't see how it could have been made any better!
Any different and it (probably) wouldn't have the same impact, a bit longer, would've been dragging it, any shorter and it would've been incomplete! A different cast hmmm Unimaginable! Most importantly, the order in which the events have been played was needed to be done that way for the characters develop, and, more importantly, for us to feel for them.
Halle Berry is sooo natural and perfect as Audrey Burke that by the end, you forget that she's an actress and you'd address her as Mrs. Burke! The same goes for her two kids, more so Alexis Llewellyn, who plays Harper, her 10-yr old daughter. Under the quiet demeanour of Harper, lies an intelligent, reflective person who knows she has to play the role of the more mature 'older sister' yet can't stop herself from feeling emotionally wrought under the circumstances. She was one of my favourite characters in the film!
Then there's the amazing Benicio Del Toro!! Haven't seen him play a better character role than this one.. Heroin addiction hasn't been portrayed in a harsher light since Requiem for a Dream! It truly shows you how, the 'lows', outlast and definitely beat the temporary highs that one can get and he totally lives the part of the junkie trying to rehabilitate himself, fighting his daily battle with temptation and addiction. The movie almost revolves around him as much as it does around Halle Berry but even the seemingly small role played by David Duchovny is not the least bit insignificant, as his absence is felt throughout the film.
All in all, it's a 'complete' film that doesn't go overboard. All the emotions are well-measured before they are displayed no excess. There's joy and then there's sorrow, there's loss then there's denial, there's strength and weakness, there's hatred and then there's love and affection. It's as realistic as any drama can be and it's narrated through the roles that each of them has to play with these emotions.
Could've been a contender for the Oscars.. for its lovely message, and for its goodness! But judging by the way things went down this year, this film didn't grab the attention of the judges as there just wasn't enough blood! ;-)
Any different and it (probably) wouldn't have the same impact, a bit longer, would've been dragging it, any shorter and it would've been incomplete! A different cast hmmm Unimaginable! Most importantly, the order in which the events have been played was needed to be done that way for the characters develop, and, more importantly, for us to feel for them.
Halle Berry is sooo natural and perfect as Audrey Burke that by the end, you forget that she's an actress and you'd address her as Mrs. Burke! The same goes for her two kids, more so Alexis Llewellyn, who plays Harper, her 10-yr old daughter. Under the quiet demeanour of Harper, lies an intelligent, reflective person who knows she has to play the role of the more mature 'older sister' yet can't stop herself from feeling emotionally wrought under the circumstances. She was one of my favourite characters in the film!
Then there's the amazing Benicio Del Toro!! Haven't seen him play a better character role than this one.. Heroin addiction hasn't been portrayed in a harsher light since Requiem for a Dream! It truly shows you how, the 'lows', outlast and definitely beat the temporary highs that one can get and he totally lives the part of the junkie trying to rehabilitate himself, fighting his daily battle with temptation and addiction. The movie almost revolves around him as much as it does around Halle Berry but even the seemingly small role played by David Duchovny is not the least bit insignificant, as his absence is felt throughout the film.
All in all, it's a 'complete' film that doesn't go overboard. All the emotions are well-measured before they are displayed no excess. There's joy and then there's sorrow, there's loss then there's denial, there's strength and weakness, there's hatred and then there's love and affection. It's as realistic as any drama can be and it's narrated through the roles that each of them has to play with these emotions.
Could've been a contender for the Oscars.. for its lovely message, and for its goodness! But judging by the way things went down this year, this film didn't grab the attention of the judges as there just wasn't enough blood! ;-)