Unbelievably gorgeous - acting, cinematography, music.

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2007)

I am stunned as to why this movie is not nominated for "best film", "best actor" and "best supporting actor" at the Oscars. Went to see it several times, and I'm still just as mesmerized by the acting, the cinematography, and the music. Every actor is impeccable in their roles, every scene is perfectly measured out and paced for the right impact. It's theatrical acting at its best, amplified by the power of talented camera work and music score.
That said, the beginning of the movie - where the characters are shown in their teen years - is a bit weak. Plot-wise, it fits in well (just as the "aha moment" of the inspector Uhl at the end is a perfect resolution to the detective part of the movie), but the young actors don't nearly measure up to the rest of the cast. However, as soon as Norton appears on the stage, he is bound to steal the show. Amazingly, though, every character is just as perfectly cast as Norton's soft-spoken, iron-fist-in-the-velvet-glove artist; the lines go smoothly from one actor to another in a perfect logical progression.
Hands down, the best movie of the year.