Simply a really good film, although I personally am not sure what the story wants to convey

Rating: 8/10 (27 August 2005)

This film is a real treat for me from beginning to end. The director takes plenty of time to show us the characters and, through them, tell us the story. The acting is subtle and excellent; not a single performance had me kicked out of the illusion that film is. It is all believable until the end.
The story is compelling, although somehow I'm not really sure what the writers want to convey. Are they telling us that there's good and bad in everyone, or is it about things that can go wrong when you label people because of the way they look? Or is it something else altogether? But, to be frank, to me that is part of the film's charm.
There are several spine-chilling scenes in the film that really had me go "no no, don't let this happen". Some of these scenes have a sad outcome, while others have a surprising "my..., that was close"-ending. Especially the scene in which the little girl runs up to her dad, who's looking right into the gun of an "unsatisfied" customer. The subsequent realization that the bullets were blanks almost felt like my doctor had just told me that I'm not terminally ill. I know it would have been more "daring film-making" if the little girl had died in her father's arms, but still, I'm really thankful that that particular scene ends the way it does.
I particularly liked Matt Dillon's performance in this film. I think he really is an underrated actor; I'd like to see much more of him in the future. And finally, as part of a dying "Dutch Trekkie"-race, I was pleasantly surprised that Marina Sirtis had a small role in this film.
Anyway, good stuff! Looking forward to watching the film a second time! Greetings, Stephan Lodewijks from The Netherlands