Brutally disturbing masterpiece; true life story of the lives of addicts.

Rating: Null/10 (29 August 2000)

Its been two hours since I saw this movie, and I'm still having trouble concentrating or just being able to type. This movie is very powerful,& difficult to watch, but it does hit the nail on the head with its poignant and pathetic portrayal of four very lost souls searching for a happy life. Ellen Burstyn's performance is of Academy Award caliber. I'll be looking for her name this year for Best Actress. She is phenomenal! My heart broke for her. All performances were masterful,intense, and believable. This movie is not for the squeamish. It deals with real life situations of these four people that makes it sometimes hard to watch, but at the same time cinematically brilliant. Thought provoking and depressingly disturbing when it goes to places that you know exist, but do not have to deal with, unless your old and alone with no one in your life, or a lost teenage heroine addict in N.Y. I liked this movie but don't know if I could sit through it again. It should be shown in all re-hab facilities as an eye opener, or to people who ignore or neglect their old parents.