Cast, Director, Lead and subject matter melded together beautifully.

Rating: 9/10 (6 November 2006)

An exceptional cast, making an exceptional film, with Johnny Depp giving what I think is one of his best performances. He captures perfectly the boundless enthusiasm that Wood must have had, his complete naivety regarding his own utter ineptitude. I'm completely at a loss as to why he didn't get the Oscar for this. Tim Burton's ability to mesh this cast of complete one-off's is blissful too. Bill Murray, Vincent D'Onofrio, Martin Landau, S-J Parker, Jeffrey Jones all capably of carrying the camera away with them, but Burton achieves balance and cohesion effortlessly. And it's so generous and affectionate. They are all saying, there but for the Grace of God, (and some talent) go I. It's a tribute to every passionate movie-maker and inhabitant - it says we are equal in our shared devotion to this deity, good, bad, indifferent, sublime, we all know each other and recognise each other as compatriots of this celluloid land. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, may the best of your past be the worst of your future.