I went to see this film at SXSW to keep a friend of mine happy and all I can say is...WOW! I'm not a film student or critic by any means. I'm just our average Joe that is not often overly impressed with most of the films that come out of Hollywood. THIS film, though, was well worth my time and I thanked my friend for getting me to see it.
Ultimately this film is about good, evil, and finding redemption. Xander Berkeley plays Sonny, a father who has taken a wrong path in life and is trying hard to make up for wasted time and broken relationships. You are not always sure what he is up to or if he will redeem himself or fall back to his old ways, but he finally finds his redemption through sacrifice in a most unexpected way.
Ryan Donowho does a very fine job as Abe, a teen in the unenviable position of being his 6-year old cousin's protector in a house full of meth addicts. Abe is doing the best he can and shows a lot of heart, but ultimately the situation is way over the head of somebody with such limited resources and life experience.
Anson Mount simply puts on the performance of his career. I can't say enough about what he put on screen. You're not going to like his character Bump, Abe's uncle and the father of a 6-year old girl whose life he seems determined to ruin in the worst way. He is a man who has completely lost any moral compass he may have had. He is the black hole in the cosmic center of this household. There seems to be no end to his addiction and self serving decadence. Mount brings a realism to this character that may well make your blood boil.
The film is raw and real. As one other reviewer stated, there are parts of this film that are hard to sit in your seat and watch. However, this is only because you'll want to jump into the screen and do something to change the course of events that define the impending train wreck of these peoples lives.
To me this film was a little choppy early which is the only reason I didn't give it 10 of 10, but in the end this is of minor consequence. This film is powerful. If you are looking for a glossed over look at drug addiction, go somewhere else. This film will slap you in the face with it.
