Film Reviews by TB

In 2013, the Boston Marathon bombing took place, irrevocably changing the lives of everyone affected both directly and indirectly. Multiple TV/film/documentaries have been made about it, Patriots Day being one of the most high profile. But there was one picture taken that day which then became a symbol of that horror, of Jeff Bauman with both his legs blown off being rushed to hospital. Following on from that, his accurate description of the bombers, helping to lead law enforcement to kill one of them & capturing the other, elevated Bauman to the status of minor celebrity. This film looks at not only the trauma of that day, but his struggle to accept his disability & deal with the ongoing mental scarring.

Gyllenhaal is excellent as Bauman, however like Southpaw, this is a film which doesn't really deserve him. Without Gyllenhaal, this film would have totally failed, his powerhouse performance really elevating what is a standard clichéd script. There is good work as well from Miranda Richardson as Bauman's alcoholic mother, who is also caught up in the maelstrom which has surrounded her son.

But despite the good intentions, this film for me was never more than 3 stars. I have yet to watch the Netflix documentary on the marathon bombing but for me, despite some issues with its script & structure, still the definitive film about the attacks is Patriots Day.

Whilst flicking through BBC iPlayer, I came across a documentary looking at the reopened investigation into the "Steeltown Murders" and in particular it's groundbreaking first use of using familial DNA (the DNA of close relatives to link to the actual murderer) to solve a crime. This documentary was absolutely outstanding, packing huge amounts of story, emotion & suspense into an hour. Repeatedly throughout the programme, snippets of/reference to this drama series were made, so having loved that documentary, I immediately stuck Steeltown Murders onto my list. But the series is in many ways a massive missed opportunity, as well as being at times unbelievably heavy-going.

In 1973, two young women who were friends & out for the night were found murdered in woodland. Despite a massive police operation, as well as several poor decisions from the leadership, no leads were found/no perpetrators brought to justice. One of the original team who stayed with the force hears through the grapevine 30 years later that the police are re-examining the case, mainly due to the incredible advances with science/DNA, and actively pursues becoming part of the team. This series then looks at the challenges & hurdles put in their way, which eventually culminates in them catching the murderer through this new DNA technology, plus linking him to another unsolved murder committed years earlier.

Unfortunately, this is actually (and quite surprisingly, given the pedigree of studio/writers/producers,) an extremely poor quality series. As in, a genuine misfire & disappointment. The actors, especially Philip Glenister, don't really gel together. The early episodes keep repeatedly jumping backwards & forwards in time, sometimes 4 or 5 times within a minute, creating a jarring & confusing watch. The script is overlong, the direction relatively lackluster.

But more than anything, which again is in stark contrast to the documentary, this series is really boring. Several times in the first 2 episodes, I was disinterested & had to force myself to keep watching, telling myself it was going to get better. To be fair to the series, the final episode was the best of all of them, but then it didn't have a very high bar to beat...

One of the other reasons I am frustrated with this series is that welcomingly, it spends a lot of time looking at a woman called Sita, who was close friends with the two murdered girls & only left them that fateful night as she was dragged away by her father, who actively controlled his daughter's life (ironically in this instance saving her but condemning them.) The series takes pains to look at the effects that she suffers with, such as survivors guilt & trying to process all these horrific emotions. But it never truly clicks, despite the good intentions of the writers.

With better direction & script, plus a recasting of the main lead, this really could have been something. However, and it gives me no pleasure to say this, I don't recommend watching this series. Find the accompanying documentary (as of the middle of October, it is still on iPlayer,) which is immeasurably better than this & features the actual detectives who worked on the case.

In 2003, The Room was released. Branded one of the worst films ever made, this went from being a slur to a badge of honour, provoking fascination & laughter from the many fans who came to see it as an extra-ordinary piece of entertainment. As is the case with most cult films, a huge amount of interest was generated with how the film was created, which only intensified after multiple behind-the-scenes reports of the chaos as well as the behaviour of Tommy Wiseau, the writer/director/lead actor/producer.

A best-selling book about the production, called The Disaster Artist, was written by Greg Sestero who played Mark & also was Wiseau's friend & producing partner, without whom the film could not have been made. The book itself became a cult best-seller, which led to this film being made by James Franco, himself an avid fan of The Room.

The best part of this film is without doubt the portrayal of Wiseau as in many ways a deeply lost & troubled man, who desperately wants to be an actor and totally buys into the American Dream of being able to do anything he wants, in his case become a famous actor & successful filmmaker. As much as there is also ridicule flung at Wiseau from all directions, the film is very empathetic in its portrayal of him.

It is clear that James Franco, who also writes & directs, has fully committed to his performance, his voice in particular indistinguishable from the real Wiseau. Dave Franco is also good as Sestero, showing him as a deeply ambitious actor but also a man with a good heart, who sticks by his friend even though he is many times used & exploited by Wiseau.

However, when it comes to the rest of the film, it is actually fairly disjointed & unfocussed. I do fully appreciate that the vast majority of people watching will be doing so because they are fans of The Room or heard about the backstage chaos, so in effect they already have skin in the game. But for me this was never more than a 3 star film, simply because it adds nothing particularly new to what is already known. There are some funny moments, particularly with infamous scenes which would have taken a professional actor 1 or 2 takes to shoot & which Wiseau was still struggling to get through after 30.

Worth a watch, but nothing to get too excited about.

Picking up immediately after the events of the second film, John Wick is a hunted man. A massive bounty has been placed on his head & unlike in the first two films, he is excommunicado from the Hotel Continental, meaning he has no protection. He then has to frantically keep moving to escape the hoardes of assassins after him, all eager to claim the massive bounty on his head.

In every respect, the story and stakes have been heightened, although there are signs that i

I originally rented this film for one reason: having seen him do outstanding work in the film Joe, I was wanting to watch anything that Tye Sheridan was in. And it was clear after seeing this, alongside other performances, that Steven Spielberg felt the same way.

However, despite the usual world-class production values that every Spielberg film has, as well as a cast to die for, the honest truth is that I couldn't in any way get involved with or be interested in anything that was happening on screen. I have said before in other reviews that Sci-Fi is not a genre which, on it's own, I'm that interested in.

And after about half an hour, with roughly 20 minutes of that trying to keep interested & stop my mind from wandering, I switched it off. I just didn't care enough about the story, despite my initial excitement, to stick with it. It may have turned into something brilliant, but this just didn't happen for me.

So, despite my 2 star score (which is mainly given for production values,) this was a complete misfire for me. I may one day try to rewatch it if I am in the mood to give it another shot & it pops up on a streaming service, but not something I'll actively seek out.

The worst comedy show I have been to was a Frankie Boyle gig. This was after he had left Mock the Week (no, he wasn’t fired as was inaccurately reported) and had also just won a libel case after being accused of being racist (the newspaper took the joke out of context and Boyle is not racist.) With this legal victory and clearing of his name, Boyle came out on stage and seemed to have written this show to be as revolting and disgusting as possible, as if to really hammer home how rancid his comedy can be. The reason it was the worst comedy show I’ve seen is that none of it was in any way funny...

And that, times by 20, is what Dirty Grandpa is like...

This is a film where Zac Efron walks in on De Niro’s character Dick (you see what they did there?!?) pleasuring himself and this isn’t just a quick fleeting moment, but a long drawn out scene. And this kind of toilet humour is just repeatedly endlessly, in different contrived set ups for the whole film.

I don’t want to list too much more of the film’s content, as the official Cinema Paradiso review is absolutely brilliant in conveying how not just revolting but also unfunny this film is. The only thing I want to add is that I am a big fan of edgy, dark and what some people call controversial humour and jokes. I believe that when you have something/a subject which difficult or upsetting for any number of reasons (such as sexual abuse,) one way to remove the power and horror of this is to find ways to ridicule and undermine it. Whether it’s edgy comedians like Jim Jefferies or even black comedies like Elle or American Psycho, there is amongst the horribleness real, funny, biting humour.

In all of this, the one thing which did stay with me, over & above all the offensive & repulsive things that Dirty Grandpa vomits on screen, was exactly that: it's absolute desperation to offend & shock. To the extent that this is almost the result you'd get if you asked a section of the most messed-up & depraved part of the internet/a forum to come up with the most rancid & revolting story imaginable which also wasn't illegal in terms of content/what was allowed to be shown.

Watching Dirty Grandpa, you don’t laugh or find anything in it funny, you just feel disgusted for having been a witness to it.  You get to the stage where you think, how many different ways are there left to talk about sex and genitals in the worst and most disgusting ways? The best metaphor I can use to describe this film is the dirty old man everyone will have seen at some stage in their lives when out and about, and turning and walking in the other direction so you don’t have to hear or see what he is doing. 

This film is disgusting. For some people, that is reason enough to see it. But save yourself the time and know your life is better having not watched it.  

In our entertainment media, apart from romantic comedies, the most bloated of the genres is police/crime drama. Every year, all around the world, hundreds are released, trying to find a different angle to mine for drama & emotions. Whilst a lot of them are good, with evolving storylines and the time to fully flesh out their story & characters, the truly great ones are very few and far between. But True Detective is without question one of the most influential, incredible, fantastic, phenomenal & gripping pieces of not only crime drama but also television ever made. It also marked a turning point for Hollywood/A-list actors actually doing this shows. Pre-2014, to be on a television show was a sign of career decline, alongside a stupid belief that films & TV series could not be held in the same regard. 

Matthew McConaughey (Rust Cohle) & Woody Harrelson (Marty Hart) play detectives who have recently been paired up within Louisiana State Police. Cohle has come to the unit after a long absence & is an extremely difficult, misanthropic, deeply cynical man. Hart is much more the stereotypical policeman: solid, dependable & direct. The pair meet as they are sent to investigate a body which has turned up in the middle of a field, clearly involving symbols & themes of the occult/dark forces. The series then follows their investigation, set over many years, looking at the toll it takes on them and their families. 

As much as everyone does the best work of their careers here, head & shoulders above everyone else is McConaughey. Once the default go-to guy for romcoms, he had what many called the “McConaissance” with this & other roles including Dallas Buyers Club & Interstellar. His close friendship with Harrelson also pays dividends & the chemistry they have is note-perfect. But there is also excellent work from Michelle Monaghan as Hart’s tough police wife, never sidelined in the thankless supporting role usually written for them. 

This is a series that stays with you, haunts you and blows you away. I loved every second of it and it is without doubt a fully fledged masterpiece.

Wonder is about a boy called Auggie, who was born with mandibulofacial dysostosis, which even after multiple surgeries has left him with significant facial disfigurements. He has led a sheltered & protected life full of love with his parents, but now is starting school. Part of the protection he enjoyed at home was a space helmet which he wore when he was out in order to shield him from looks & stares. However, his parents have decided that he needs to face the world & not wear this. The film follows Auggie as he starts school & deals with the various difficulties life throws his way.

For many people, this film & it's themes of happiness, love & care are too sweet, overbearing & saccharine. And whilst there was some elements of that which did occasionally grate, I am always honest in these reviews. For me, this was a profoundly moving film showing the raw emotions of the entire family, whether it is the mother who you can tell has almost broken herself in order to show her son every bit of love humanly capable and knows that the world outside is going to be incredibly difficult & judgemental; through to Auggie himself, who is scared but also knows that he is going to have face this world & there will be good people within it who will not judge him.

I also respected the showing of the casual cruelty that children can be capable of, without fully appreciating or understanding the devastating consequences this can have. In one horrible scene, Auggie overhears people he thought were his friends being horrible about him. And then you watch as he slowly, with the help of his family, pick himself back up, supported with love & compassion.

The performances are great. I have loved Jacob Tremblay in everything I've seen him in and this is no exception. He perfectly balances the emotions of a scared but also strong little boy, whilst always showing his vulnerability. Julia Roberts & Owen Wilson are also excellent, their chemistry really complimenting each other. The other child actors are also great as well.

For me, this is a film which shows the power of the most important & powerful thing we as humans have: love. It makes you cry in all the right places, whilst also showing you that the world has horrible people in it. But who you are as a person, and the people that you surround yourself with, is the most important thing.

The first Sicario was amazing, a bolt from the blue. Following Emily Blunt's FBI agent, who is paired up with Josh Brolin's deeply immoral CIA officer & Benicio Del Toro's unstable Alejandro, it was a slow-burning & incredible thriller looking at cartels in Mexico. For this sequel, whilst Blunt passed on revisiting this world again, Brolin & Del Toro return, along with the scriptwriter Taylor Sheridan. And whilst this film doesn't quite match it's predecessors heights, it is still a bloody good film and just as brutal as the first one.

The film reunites us with Matt Graver, who is called on by the US government after a terrorist attack in a supermarket kills multiple people. The dug cartels are suspected of smuggling the terrorists into the US, so Graver is ordered to actively attack them, as well as trying to start conflicts between the rival cartel's so that they take each other out. Graver contacts Alejandro in order to assist with this mission.

The only issue I actually have with this film, which did cross over into I felt questionable territory, was the radical Islamic terror theme, the events having been set in motion by the suicide bombing & connecting it to the cartels smuggling the terrorists across the border. With the political situation as it was in 2018 (a Trump presidency which was infamously demonising migrants as well as deliberately splitting up families & putting children in cages,) I felt that this storyline was pouring more petrol onto what was already an obscenely awful human tragedy.

But as for the story itself, it was great. Del Toro in particular has found a character as good as Dario from Licence to Kill, and seems to revel in the chance to literally be a total psychopath who in this case is on the right side of the law. Whilst I did miss Blunt's character, I do feel that the filmmakers have successfully managed to move the story on to a different level with different facets being able to be explored. In the first film, Blunt was us as the viewer, looking into this horrible world from the outside. Whereas now we are deep inside that world, accompanying Graver & Alejandro as they cause carnage.

This is an excellent sequel & different in all the right ways. It still however has the same amazing ability to create almost unbearable tension combined with incredible action.

Kingsman: The Secret Service was a bolt out of the blue. Unashamedly taking inspiration from James Bond & other espionage characters/stories from over the decades, it was a fresh & invigorating take on the spy thriller; boasting great action, a wry script & star-making turns from Colin Firth and newbie Taron Egerton. It was also a massive hit at the box office, making a sequel inevitable. You would have hoped that with more confidence, bigger budget & the general no-holds barred attitude, we could have had a sequel which doubled down on everything that made the first film great, whilst adding more to the canon & universe.

Sadly, this is not the case & in many ways, this represents a step back for the universe.

We join Eggsy in London, where he is well-established within the Kingsman organisation. He is then attacked by a character from the previous film, who is able to hack into the Kingsman systems. A missile is then launched by Poppy (a deranged & psychotic drug baron,) destroying the Kingsman HQ and leaving the remaining alive members requiring assistance from the Statesman, the US faction. They then team up to take down Poppy & her organisation.

The biggest issues I have with this film is firstly exactly the same one I had with the initial story set-up of The Dark Knight Rises: in both films, it is relatively easy for the villains to basically destroy the heroes' entire infrastructure/steal all their money & leave them helpless. You would think someone who is committed to fighting crime should, as their first priority, ensure that there was every possible counter measure against them being attacked.

And secondly (this isn't a spoiler, he's on the front of the Blu-ray,) the film brings back Colin Firth. So the principal impact of the 1st film is completely voided and it also means that being killed in this film (at least being shot,) has no consequences. So you now have a film which is very clear on what real world consequences it wants to ignore & which ones absolutely are a matter of life and death.

Also, unlike before where you had an amazing villain in Samuel L. Jackson, we now have Julianne Moore, one of my favourite actresses. And she literally is wasted here. As in, she stands around, preening like the evil schoolteacher caricature that you watched in countless kids movies. She is not in any way intimidating, and alongside the poor narrative choices of the script, ensures that this film misses far more than it hits.

There are some good points, plus some of the stunts are amazing. And despite my views on Firth being brought back, there is still some enjoyment to be had seeing him and Egerton sharing the screen again. But this is in no way the sequel that I, or I'm sure many other fans wanted.

The King's Man, the prequel which is set in the same universe, does right some of the wrongs. However, the first film is still the best.

A Quiet Place came out of nowhere & exploded into the public’s consciousness. Made on a relatively small budget, it is emphatically a film which, whilst it may have a science fiction/fantasy element to it, is totally interested in & examining the various minutiae of how people under the most unbearable of circumstances & threats can exist, let alone have any hope for the future. In this respect, it is an incredible film. But it also contains a couple of head-slappingly stupid decisions by the characters which almost de-rail the whole thing. 

Krasinski and Blunt play Lee and Evelyn Abbott, who along with their children, live in a post-apocalyptic world. They & everything else living are hunted by hideous & violent alien creatures, who are blind but whose hearing is so delicate that they can hunt with precision. The family is only able to exist in the world by following a very strict code of instructions which mean no noise can be generated: no talking, instead communicating via sign language which the family is already proficient in due to their daughter being deaf; walking barefoot on sand-treated paths ect. The film follows their lives as Evelyn prepares to give birth. 

Despite my criticism of this film, it must be said that I found it as a whole to actually be incredibly well-made, hence the 4 stars. The production values & acting are brilliant. Emily Blunt, who is excellent in everything she is in, really makes for a compelling protagonist, alongside Noah June who, since I first saw him in The Impossible, is building up an impressive resume. John Krasinski, who writes & directs as well as stars, has made an incredibly tightly-scripted and suspenseful film. Serious praise needs to be given to him for his achievements on this, his first film as director. 

The sound mixing though is in another category of its own. Never before has a film I have watched so effectively made me almost hold my breath at times, scared to make a sound in case the aliens hear. Whether it is breathing, a floorboard slightly creaking or trying to move around a supermarket without making any sounds, from the opening moments this film grabs you. Certainly this movie can be used as an example of why sound can play such a vital role in shaping & affecting the audience. 

But, we now have to talk about the issues… 

This film is MONUMENTALLY stupid in terms of the decisions that the script/characters make. I do not intend for this to be full of spoilers, so will not go into full details, but the fact that Evelyn is having a baby is fairly well-known by people interested in seeing this film. To be fair though, that decision alone is enough. I literally kept thinking again & again “Why the f**k would you bring a baby into this world?” The number of problems, issues, risks ect literally is unlimited.

And this for me is where the suspension of disbelief is just pushed too far. I appreciate in a film there are certain limitations that can be pushed, especially in a fantasy film. But when the script spends so long setting up this particular world, set largely within the real world, to then do something that makes literally no sense means the whole house of cards comes falling down. 

However, I really enjoyed it & the stupidity of the decisions wasn’t enough to stop my enjoyment of the movie as a whole. I look forward to watching the sequel, which hopefully improves on the excellent overall foundations that this film created. 

Amongst many of the various characters in film folklore, James Bond is one of the most recognisable. Exploding into the public consciousness in 1962, the films have been much imitated over the decades. Some of these have been excellent, whilst the vast majority have just not worked due to tone/clichéd scripts. However, one of the series's that has absolutely nailed the satirization, as well as updating it with a razor-sharp social conscience is Kingsman. Originally conceived as a graphic novel/comic book, it looks at a secret society who maintains world peace through espionage & dangerous missions.

Eggsy is a wiley, street-wise kid who lives in Central London. His father was in the services & killed when he was a baby & he has been raised by his mother. Despite a promising career within the military, he was forced to leave after his mother could not bear the thought of losing another loved one. Eggsy now makes his way through life ducking and diving, just about staying on the right side of the law. Then one day he encounters Harry Hart, a pristine & leathal member of the Kingsman who wants to recruit him into the organisation to stop Richmond Valentine, a megalomaniac who wants to take over the world.

The thing which I loved about Kingsman was just how much damn fun it is. This is pure, unadulterated fun, with a tone that is just silly enough without descending into stupidity. Let's be clear, this is not a film which exists in the real world: the Kingsman can do gravity-defying fighting & have some supernatural abilities. But it uses these traits to great effect.

The other thing which sets the film apart is the vicious social commentary that it has as an integral part of its story: Eggsy is a spit-and-sawdust working class man, who has had none of the opportunities that the upper classes, represented through Hart, have been afforded. And there are many scenes where this is absolutely put front & center, challenging you as the viewer, as well as giving a voice to the enormous number of particularly younger people who feel that life is passing them by without any real opportunities.

The performances are great. Colin Firth, who made his name as Mr Darcy along with many other upper-class English characters, perfectly plays against type, as well as being brilliant in the action sequences, doing a large number of his own stunts. And alongside him/matching him toe-to-toe is Taron Egerton as Eggsy. In many ways, this is the hardest role to play, especially in terms of getting the tone right. It would have been so easy to make Eggsy a repugnant character, over-cranking the chavvy element alongside using the death of his father as a get-out of jail free card for why he is the man he is. But the film is much better than that, making him a fully rounded & genuine person who you really root for.

And finally, the action is absolutely spot-on superb. The combat scenes in the London pub, as well as the church brawl, are perfectly shot with excellent choreography & stunts, especially from Firth.

A total riot & a great watch. It's only a shame that the sequel completely drops the ball.

Coming from producer Barbara Broccoli, most well-known for the James Bond series, this emotional film looking at the life story of Gloria Grahame is a beautiful little piece. Combining the acting talents of Annette Bening & Jamie Bell, it is based on the memoir of Peter Turner, detailing his life & relationship with Grahame who had, in her golden years, won both an Oscar & serious critical acclaim. However, her career had never reached the heights expected & when Turner met her, she was starring in a theatre production in London & living in a cheap rented room.

The two of them hit it off & the film then follows them over the many years, through break-ups & the various difficulties that they both face. One of the things I liked most about the film was its complete honesty in showing the characters in an unvarnished way. Grahame in particular was a extremely challenging woman in her behaviour, but it is also made clear that this was due to her difficult early life, combined with her fear as she slowly becomes sicker.

Both Bening & Bell are exceptional, effortlessly carrying the film & the weighty subject matter with care, compassion & empathy. It is a pleasure to spend 90 minutes in their company & the final few scenes are as sad as they are moving.

A wonderful film & I hope that the cast & crew reunite to make another film soon.

I am not a regular viewer of Who Do You Think You Are, but I had caught part of the episode looking at the history of Jerry Springer's family roots. It was highly emotional & deeply upsetting, which totally contrasted with his most well-known persona, as the host of the eponymous show.

The programme is excellent, really examining the journey that his parents and grandparents went through. Meticulously researched & excellent support from family history experts make for an incredible & emotional journey.

Abel Ferrara is not a filmmaker who does things by halves. The only other film of his I have seen is The Bad Lieutenant, which takes a dive into hell, following the spiral & disgusting behaviour of an unnamed police lieutenant abusing his power in every way it is possible to, using as cover his position within the very institution which is supposed to uphold the law. In many ways, this film looks at a similar power imbalance, although instead of the crime-ridden & dangerous streets of New York City, this takes place inside the luxurious hotel suites within that US State.

Mr Devereaux is an extremely powerful & wealthy Frenchman who is visiting New York on business. He is mooted as a possible French President & appears to held in high regard on the world stage. In the opening scenes, it is very quickly established that he is a man of huge depravity & excesses, ordering prostitutes to his hotel suite and then engaging in extreme sex & drug taking. Some time later, he returns to his suite & discovers a hotel maid cleaning his room. He then aggressively sexually assaults her. After the attack, she reports him to the police. The film then follows the aftermath of this/the investigation of Devereaux.

For me, as a film, I was instantly grabbed by it. To be honest, when it started, I thought this was actually a porn film, due to the level of sexuality shown on screen. But what stuck with me most, apart from the huge & visceral anger that Ferrara clearly has towards wealthy men who sexually assault women, especially poorer women of colour, is how disgusting & repulsive the protagonist is shown to be. In what has been called an incredibly brave performance by Gérard Depardieu, Mr Devereaux is such a disgusting & dispicible person, you wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire, instead reaching for petrol. He is a man totally without shame or morals.

The reason & inspiration (used in the most horrific sense of the word,) for this film was the allegations against Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the subsequent dismissal of charges being pressed, due in part to the immense wealth/legal firepower that Strauss-Kahn was able to afford. Even in the end credits, there is an air of apology towards the victim in the real case.

But for me, the real stand-out in this film is without question Depardieu & his performance. In this movie, Depardieu plays a character without shame & in every sense of the word his performance is the same. There is not a hint of embarrassment or modesty. The nadir of this is a scene, which has been mentioned in other reviews, in the police station after Devereaux has been arrested. He is ordered to strip to be searched. And when naked you see the total wreck that this man is: a disgusting, obscenely bloated stomach propped up by a ruined body & monstrous ego. Even in this act of what almost anyone else would consider abject humiliation, he still stands arrogant & argumentative.

And as the film goes on, it doesn't matter what sense of dress he is in, he just plunges deeper down the toilet of revoltingness, whether with his wife or when trying to destroy the character of the innocent woman he attacked, knowing that she is poor & powerless against the well-oiled & funded machine he is supported by.

For many, this film will simply be too disgusting, brutal, raw or upsetting to watch. But for me, that's why it works. This film shows you in unflinchingly graphic detail the horror of rape & the trauma of trying to get justice. Ferrara and Depardieu are working at the pinnacle of their abilities. Strap in & prepare to have every emotion put through the wringer.