Slow down the hype machine, this movie is just plain boring

Rating: 3/10 (9 January 2006)

Let this be the first and last time I mention that my review has nothing to do with ripping apart a 'gay cowboy movie'.
This movie bored me endlessly. First, I think the character development was lacking. Basically, by the movie's end, I felt no closer to any of the main characters. I didn't care about their losses or their tribulations because I never felt like I got to know them. In addition, the direction and cinematography were subpar. The action was slow, the camera shots too swooping, and the emotion forced. There were also many scenes that seemed omissible and pointless.
The acting was OK, although it's difficult to evaluate acting when the characters basically sit with blank stares and don't talk for the entire film. I think Donnie Darko turned in the best performance.
As a love story, this one doesn't hold up. As I mentioned, I didn't care about the characters, no matter what happened to their hapless relationship. Also, very little of the story actually serves to develop Jack and Ennis's love for each other.
I'm not even sure to whom I should recommend this movie. I would compare this movie to that one IFC film in which the old guy drives his tractor across the country to visit his dying brother because he doesn't have his license. What a bore.
Apparently, if you've read the story, this movie captures the spirit well. I advise you just read the story; save yourself the $10 and 2.5 hours.