A beautiful, thought-provoking film, more than just a thriller.

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2002)

I rented this movie, thinking it would be an off-beat horror-type flick. I watched it halfway through - twice! - because I just wasn't paying enough attention to get what the real story was. After munching on it overnight I realized I had to see how the story ended (possible spoiler ahead). I wasn't keen on the "Beautiful Mind" paranoid-schizophrenic plot line, but the acting, the story, and especially the imagery (Frank the bunny is a frightening/funny sight) and score are very compelling. But the payoff montage at the end of the film to the Gary Jules song "Mad World" is just amazing. That song sets exactly the right tone for the whole film and wraps it up beautifully.
What more can I say? With such a high-concept story line, it would have been easy for the actors to give over-the-top performances (like in "American Beauty"). Each performance was so natural and effective that I was never separated from the story, I was never aware that here was "Bubble Boy" delivering his lines, there was "Stands with a Fist" chewing up the scenery. I am still haunted by Mary McDonnell's last scene, smoking the cigarette by the tree, sensing her connection to Jena Malone while already mourning her loss.
Great story, great cast, great music, great film!