Great Movie

Rating: 10/10 (9 May 2007)

What a well crafted picture this is. Even from the trailer alone, this film draws you in. It wraps you with the experience of living when and where the zodiac killer was active and at large. It is shot perfectly and the story is gripping.
The jarring scenes shot around the killings reinforce in the viewers' minds the kind of horrific acts these were. And although they lend a level of emotional depth to the film, they aren't the heart of the story. It mainly revolves around the lives of the people trying to solve the murders. It shows the job becomes their obsession. The undertaking becomes all-encompassing, devastating to their careers, families and lives.
The movie is presented as a thriller and comes through, building mystery and suspense where it intends. But more accurately, it is a crime/drama. It shines most showing the behind the scenes workings that were never common knowledge during the events. The truths sometimes are frustrating for the audience, who are viewing the seventies situations with three extra decades of expectations. This is a great thing.
The performances are great. Each was outstanding in its own way, and none overpowering, rather complementing. In a rich and talented cast, the focus was on Ruffalo, Downey, and Gyllenhaal who all delivered some of their best work.