*** - Not as Good as I Had Hoped

Rating: 5/10 (29 January 2006)

I rate films on a scale of five stars. I gave it three. Here's what I say (my wife agrees, on the most point).
Here is how I describe it: It's a mixture of Cold Mountain, Closer, and Urban Cowboy, all of which are better (except Closer, of course). The film moved WAY too fast, the aggressiveness in the sex scenes was totally not needed (there is a difference between passion and aggression), and it relied way too much on sentimentality at the end. Everything was forced, nothing flowed very well. If the film had been paced slower, it would have been a fantastic film. I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately, I have to give it ***. If it wins Best Picture, I'm going to be very disappointed with the Academy.