One of the best written, well-acted & directed films crafted!

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2007)

While the Academy Award-show was being prejudiced against "Brokeback Mountain" due to it's homosexual themes and controversial nature, this film honestly isn't that different then the other so the "Best Picture" award should have done to something else that was good, but not like the other two.
Anyway, this is writer/producer Paul Haggis's ( Casino Royale(2006); recent Clint Eastwood films) first theatrical film that he directed and his co-written screenplay is one of the most complex, yet extremely intriguing concepts ever put on film.
The movie basically deals with racism, the people in L.A. who experience it and, ironically, are all somewhat related to each other. It wisely gives each race an decent, but equal amount of screen time and no one ever feels left out of this, thus anyone can watch it and get something out of it and not be restricted by it's message and/or the marketing audience.
About all the races are looked at: the Hispanics, the Asians, the Blacks, even the Persians! The music is gorgeously beautiful and fits the tone perfectly. The movie is sad, but not too depressing to where it will make the viewer want to turn it off.
The actors consist of currently popular screen-names ( like Don Cheadle and Sandra Bullock), upcoming stars who almost steal the show ( Michael Pena, Ryan Phillipe, Jennifer Esposito, Thandie Newton and Terrence Dashon Howard ), character actors who are always recognized by their familiar faces and roles ( Larentz Tate and William Fichtner ) as well as other "well- known's" making brief appearances that aren't really cameos ( Keith David and Brendan Frasier ).
This is one of the best "all-star" cast, controversial and thought-provoking films ever produced! A lot of the other films of 2004 are just downright silly when compared to the greatness that is this film!