American Art House? Must be seen!

Rating: Null/10 (6 January 2003)

Wow. What a fantastic piece of work! After 40 plus years it seems to me that US film makers have finally woken up to what French and Italian film makers have been doing for decades. This is the first time I can remember ever seeing a proper American made art-house movie with a reasonable budget. The cinematography is fantastic and the plot remains a roller-coaster even on the second viewing.
Many comments have been made about the plot so I won't bother here but setting the film in the late eighties was inspirational. The sound track complements the action and the characters emotions perfectly. Maybe this is just because I am a child of when it was set?
I also loved the juxtaposition of the politics of the film to today. The film shows the Democrat school teacher demanding censorship whilst the parents oppose it. Today it is George W. Bush and his Republican administration who advocate censorship and seek to reduce the constitutional rights of the American people to read and believe what they will.
This film is a true masterpiece and hits you hard and leaves you reeling on many different levels. Congratulations to the makers. I believe this may be the first true piece of art to emerge from California in the 21st century.