Nice Change For Julia Roberts

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2005)

It's always refreshing to see Julia Roberts step out of the sugar-sweet, perfect girl next door mold that Hollywood has created with her and instead play a real adult.
This is a great movie for open minded, thoughtful adults. The movie is real. The issues are real.
None of the characters are particularly likable. Human flaws and inner desperation are drawn out to extreme by Mr. Nichols, for dramatic effect and to give the viewer a clear image of some of the darker sides of human nature: from the vulnerable Daniel who is cannot stand to be alone but unable to allow someone to need him; to the bowing Anna who has dark inner desires to be possessed and abused by her lovers; to Larry who sees women as objects and sees his partners as whores as opposed to lovers.
Enjoyable movie. It'll make you think. It'll make you a little uneasy in moments. But in the end you will feel that you learned about these four remarkable people and perhaps a little bit about yourself as well.