So much average

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I can personally relate to the main character. He was non-aggressive, liked to write, and didn't have a clue where he could fit into society. Such guys DO exist.This one predictably flops in N.Y. and returns home to his hometown, and his quirky literal "home" in the midwest.There he meets a girl.You may ask why someone as gorgeous as Liv Tyler,(her character), would hang out with such a loser. But she tells you in her own words. "I like to help people." That's why she is a nurse too. Beyond that, her character is not too bright, and she's a single mom, so she's got her own baggage. The best thing about this movie comes in letter form. The mom in the movie is portrayed as perpetually optimistic. Most modern films poke fun at this as pathetically naive. For most of this film, you think it is doing the same thing. But the main character writes a letter to his mom, when he thinks he is leaving town, and he tells her that in fact he admires her optimism, and considers it a sign of strength, and of character. I liked that. The movie doesn't really go anywhere, but that's o.k., because many people's lives don't go anywhere. It's a slice-of-life movie.I liked it, but I would not expect most people to enjoy it. Unless you really enjoy dark, small town underdog studies.At some point this young guy has to realize that it doesn't matter if you are depressed, you still have to find a way to make a living, and get on with life.I don't think it portrayed the Midwest as depressing, or his parents as losers. His dad is a successful entrepreneur, and his mom fills up a room with light, and good cheer. Those are winner characteristics. They live in a nice house. Their town looks clean and safe.Clearly what happened is that the boys inherited their mom's gentle, non-aggressive manner. That makes them ineffectual as men. She smothers them with sweetness, which may hinder them from tapping into the alpha energy that men need to succeed in a brutal world.Why was a nurse so poor? Nurses make a boatload of money. Probably because she wasn't an RN. She was probably either a CNA or LVN.

This movie doesn't as much tell a story as it conveys a feeling, and that feeling is "mind-numbingly depressed". Casey Affleck is wonderful in this movie. He managed to be sad for 90 minutes without ever hamming things up, which makes that one outburst of joy he has very beautiful. Sadly, this film is somewhat held back by one rather typical indie cliché: its lack of pace. We're not just dealing with a slow-moving plot here, because there is no plot. It's just a slow-moving bunch of scenes. Most of the scenes go on for a bit too long, others are just plain unnecessary. Thank God the occasional dark humour can bring something extra, because parts of this movie are really quite boring. Nevertheless, Jim is a compelling character, and Steve Buscemi appears to be quite talented as a director, so this is still worth seeing.

Jim (Casey Affleck) has just returned home to his parents house in the Midwest. Being an aspiring writer who loved living in Manhattan, this is cruel and unusual punishment. However, his two part time jobs didn't pay the bills so, thank goodness, Mother Sally (Mary Kay Place) is happy to see him. Father Don (Seymour Cassel) is less enthusiastic, probably because the couple's other son, Tim (Kevin Corrigan) is living with them, too, thanks to divorce and a low-paying job. Naturally, the parents urge Jim to "do something", after the first few days, so the young man reluctantly accepts a job at the factory run by his mother. He also meets a beautiful, single-parent nurse, Anika (Liv Tyler) at a local watering hole and they begin a relationship of convenience. But, nothing ever seems to make Jim come out of his perpetual "funk" and he fails to connect with anyone, except perhaps a pot smoking co-worker. Will Jim bring everyone around him down, too, even his always-sunny mom? Can he get his "act together"? Viewers who put this into their DVD players may not feel like watching after the first half hour. It is fairly depressing, despite some sporadic but successful "gallows" humor. However, those who choose to stick it out may appreciate the sharp life observations. The cast is really very nice, with Affleck doing a truly great job in a difficult role. Place, Cassel, Tyler, Corrigan and the other lesser role players are impressive, too. Appropriately, the setting is fairly nondescript and won't charm anyone while the costumes are well-chosen but far from attractive. The script has its moments of humor and pathos, almost too real for comfort. Then, too, the slow pace and undistinguished edit hurt its success, too. There are some fun moments, as when Jim goes bar hopping among the three local watering holes, named Riki's 1, 2 and 3. But, all in all, this is a grim flick, which will never earn the word "entertainment". Therefore, stay away, unless you are a fan of the cast or a serious student of film-making. Lonesome Jim will ultimately attract only a few "lone wolf" admirers.

This is the most pure example of American independent film that I've seen in years. Zeroing in on a few characters, a limited situation, perfectly consistent in tone (which might be characterized as realist-deadpan), simply yet effectively done--this is the best Raymond Carver adaptation ever made, yet of course it's not even based on one of his stories (it's based on a fine original screenplay by James Strouse).It seems like back in the late '80s films like this were made, but very rarely are anymore, when every independent film has become either a star vehicle or a strident, obvious Satire. This film (like Buscemi's also marvelous "Trees Lounge") seems organic to the story it's telling. I came to the film knowing nothing about it, had no idea where it was going or what it was up to, and was always happily surprised that it didn't take the cheap route through anything.The performances are all excellent. Mary Kay Place perfectly plays the all-American mom and without calling undue attention to himself Affleck absolutely embodies a type we've all met many times before but rarely see on screen with this level of detail. Even Liv Tyler is good. But a special word should be said about Buscemi as a director. There's nothing fancy in how he works yet he seems to know completely how to shape a movie, getting the most out of his actors and the bland settings that the drama plays out in. I wish we had more darkly comic, substantial, humane films like this. I really hope Buscemi gets to make many more films.