Those commentators who thought this movie was rubbish were either totally uneducated or in a vile mood and shouldn't have bothered watching, or else they have no knowledge of life at all.
The story was deep, and that requires thought and insight for an audience to appreciate, not just superficial watching and waiting for the action. There were so many messages in this one film I would need to write a thesis to cover them all. Sure, there were a few weaknesses, but a film is made to entertain an audience, not to satisfy literary critics. I found the characters all extremely clear-cut, the situations well portrayed, the story satisfying and very poignant. Again, the portrayal of the twins and their sad story was a very deep concept, open to all sorts of interpretation. The final scene was absolutely spot-on - a view into endlessness, waiting for explanation of why things happen as they do.
Matthew Modine is an outstanding actor, who is in my opinion not sufficiently appreciated for his fine work. Maybe for the average cinema-goer he plays parts that require more insight, and therefore doesn't hit the spotlights. That he doesn't appear in every boulevard magazine is a tribute to his qualities, they don't lend themselves to cheap gossip. His double role in this film is proof of his versatility, even though neither role is at all flattering to an actor's image. Who wants to play a loser! or a small-time gangster? Respectively, who can do it convincingly? I watch this film every time it's shown and can still find more in it. A real "cult" film, Mr. Modine's specialty.
