The film is quite raw, unpolished but emotionally gripping as a result

Rating: 10/10 (12 March 2020)

There are several aspects of this film that are commonly criticized. The writing around Dave isn't all that tight; the film's blunt treatment of sexual abuse is frayed and reasonable people can take issue with it. the Lady Macbeth speech at the end isn't fully set-up in the screenplay. A lot of the performances are overstated and showy, i.e. Penn's "Is that my DAUGHTER in there?" Eastwood's direction can feel too retrained and didactic for the film's own good. I actually agree with these criticism on the main but for all that I cannot but helped be moved by this film.
I think there an alchemy at work here that the more unpolished and rough patches of the film as cinema make the emotional content of the film be even more striking and more involving. This film has life as lived quality that makes it primal and power. So sure the critic in me wants to pick at its flaw but the filmgoer in me just loves the emotional experience this film invokes. It still makes me cry.
I must say Robbins and Penn are *perfect* in this as the sort of primal base emotions and characters they are playing. Robbins is so tragic in this film that he breaks my heart.
This is a big part of why 2003 is the best year for film since I have been alive.