We saw the previews for this movie from another DVD and it looked quite intriguing. Not quite living up to it, this movie could be a bore at times. However, the visuals were eerily stunning and set the melancholy tone for the story.
Despite either the plot or execution of it being a little weak, the acting of the cast was superb. I was surprised at Uma Thurman's performance as I've never really seen her in a subtle, dramatic role. She always looks a bit sorrowful to me, so I think these sort of tragic characters are very suitable choices.
Evan Rachel Wood is an impressive young actress, but her off-screen linking to Marilyn Manson is far too distracting for me. There are potentially controversial facets of the pairing - the age difference and the strange, bloody appearance in his music video, but it all seemed so contrived and overly-showy. Sure, I'm probably a little more interested in celebrity gossip than most casual moviegoers and this poses a bias; but unfortunately, recalling all that definitely overshadows any characters she may be portraying. As more a testament to her acting, she seems to excel in these wayward teenager roles and I am curious of her capabilities beyond this sort of typecast.
Anyhow, I found the movie a bit confusing as these films can often become with the method of frequent flashback story-telling. I also noted that it felt a little artificial, but later found it to be perfectly fitting for the nature of the story (without giving too much of the plot away).
Overall, it could have been a lot better, but I can't really say if this is due to the limitation of the book (which I have not read) or the movie simply did not take a great approach in interpreting it. It was very affecting as I felt a little somber after viewing because the whole premise focused around school shootings and the tragedy that ensues can be terribly distressing. Regarding this touchy subject, this was a time when repeat scenes really drove this home further. Some of the repetition could have been scaled back a bit - especially in the depiction of blatant violence; but I suppose it made a larger, and unfortunately, more disturbing impact that way. Still, the thought of the movie continues to sadden me the next day, so it was indeed rather moving and memorable as painful things often can be.
