Overrated

Rating: 7/10 (1 June 2005)

OK film, but much too short to fully develop the characters and the complexities of how their lives crisscross. The locksmith character stands out as a whole person, not the two dimensional, cardboard characters that you find with the rest of the cast. All of these stories are much too complicated to be told in under two hours. It's almost like this is the outline to a film. You would think that great actors, powerful themes and an enthusiastic director would make for a fine film. But it misses the mark in spite of the fine acting. The breath is literally squeezed out of most of the stories - not enough time to tell them. And with the clock ticking, Haggis resorts to gimmicks. Michael Pena and Dashon Howard stand out in this very fine cast. Paul Haggis has the makings of a storyteller, but... I had a hard time believing that all that individual unhappiness in LA expresses itself in racism and bigotry. But then again, I don't live in LA.