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Rating: 8/10 (13 September 2009)

I was pleasantly surprised by this. This is the first of Brewer's films that I watch, though I will certainly keep his name in mind for future reference. He's got an interesting style, and the form enhances the content, rather than attracting attention to itself. Also, he seems to do sequences largely driven by the music(well-composed, by the way), and without the movie coming off as an extended music video(*cough* McG *cough*). The acting doesn't let down, either. It's no surprise that Ricci(who yet again astounds with the unrestrained performance that we can count on her to give) and L. Jackson deliver something powerful, but Timberlake is actually pretty good, as well. The rest of the cast are marvelous, as well. This follows a disillusioned retired Blues-player, who finds himself dealing with a young, wild girl who can't seem to stay out of trouble. The plot is nicely engaging, and this is well-paced. There is a little humor in this, and it is appropriate, not messing with the tone of this. The rating is a fair indicator... this is *not* for everyone, and if you don't think you can handle it, you may not want to chance it. The cinematography and editing are great. This has solid writing, and everything comes off as being psychologically credible. There is sexuality and language, if neither are frequently all that strong, in addition to disturbing content. The DVD contains an (optional) informative and worthwhile director's commentary, for the flick and the deleted scenes alike, three featurettes of varying length, all of them well-done, and a photo gallery. I recommend this to mature audiences, whether or not you're a fan of anyone involved in making it. A magnificent piece on not giving in, and being there for others, even if they've made mistakes. 8/10