Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This was a really good movie with a twist at the end. I also feel the ending made a lot of people upset, simply because they just weren't expecting it. To me it made a lot of sense, but it did not stop me from shedding tears. Dahlia and Ceci were amazing characters. There were a perfect amount of twists and turns and it had a Ring feel to it. I can say I really enjoyed the Ring a lot, so I was not at all disappointed. Jennifer Connelly did a great job with playing a loving and caring mother trying to make a way, while maintaining her surroundings that seemed to crumble around her. A very dark feel to this movie but it went in a great direction. As a parent of a 6 year old little girl I have a deep sympathy for all of the characters and I can understand the sacrifice we make for our children.

I would have given this movie a 10, if not for the end. I'm not giving it away, but it made me mad. The acting was awesome and enjoyed the mystery. It did leave some things unanswered. The movie is about an hour and 40 minutes long. They could have added an extra 20 minutes and given answers to some of my questions. For example I wanted to know more about Tim Roth's character.

I've watched this movie for quite a few times now. It's a beautiful piece of artistic movie making. It's not entirely without problems, but this is one of those movies where I'm ready to overlook a few shortcomings because there are so many other redeeming aspects.First, the visuals and atmosphere are amazing. Second, the acting and characters are really really good. Jennifer Connelly does a great role and creates a character that you actually care for. The supporting cast is also great, John C. Reilly, Pete Postlethwaite, Tim Roth.. all portray real characters. No one is bad or good, just people who seem real.I see this movie like an album of dark music, Portishead or so. It makes you feel something that is otherworldly, it takes you to another place, it picks beauty out of decay and rust, rain and darkness. Not for people who only like to think of roses and blue skies.The story of this movie is interesting to a point, but mostly the relationships and feelings of the people. The "horror" part, be it supernatural or not, may not succeed quite as well. In the end you may not completely understand what happens, but it doesn't really matter that much to me.To make another analogy with music and this movie, the story here is like lyrics in music. With certain music, the lyrics don't matter as much as the sounds. It doesn't always matter if the lyrics or the story aren't perfectly understandable, because the atmosphere is so well made.If you think of this movie as a horror movie, which it is marketed as, it's good to note that there are no gore and very few jump scares if any. That is always a major plus in my book, because it actually takes skill to craft a scary movie without them. This movie relies on atmosphere, characters and drama.It's a sad movie, but beautifully made.

Firstly I would not class this as a horror film as it has been advertised, it is more of a chilling thriller.The actors and actresses do a great job, but an absolutely excellent performance by the little girl - Ceci. What a wonderful little actress she is, she nailed every scene. And she is adorable. Being a single parent to a little girl, I related to this movie, the position Dahlia is put into and the struggles she comes across. However my life has never taken a sinister twist like hers.The ending was bittersweet and eerie. The creepiest part of the film is the little girl called Natasha. Who also did a great job as being the creepy little girl.I rooted for Dahlia all the way through, she was wronged many times and accused of absurd things, she was a wonderful mother - proved by the ending.I would recommend this film. I can't say that I would watch it myself again though.