I don't think that is an easy task to accomplish, but Sayles has done it here very well. If you want to look up more of Sayles' movies I recommend The Brother From Another Planet, Matewan, Limbo, Lone Star, and Eight Men Out. Her performance is subtle and she never overacts, which is unusual from such a young performer. As I mentioned above this movie features some wonderful visuals, so I was hoping the transfer would do the cinematography justice and it does. The colors look bright and free from oversaturation, with flesh tones appearing natural and consistent.
Contrast is also sharp, with high visible detail level and solid shadow depth.
This release includes a 2.0 surround track which is more than adequate, since this movie relies less than audio than most. The surrounds see action from time to time, usually from the musical score and when they're active they sound good. The main focus here is on the dialogue and it sounds clear and crisp, with no volume issues to speak of. You'll also find English, Spanish, and French subtitles. This release contains an audio commentary with director John Sayles and as usual, he offers an informative and interesting track.