People are voting emotionally.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

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

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The motivations of this cast of characters is practically unfathomable. Playing against all reasonable expectations about human nature seems to be the point, here. This is an ugly, depressing movie about extremely neurotic people, none of whom elicit an ounce of sympathy. These people live in a society where "getting along" trumps pride and self respect. They are so world-weary, presumably from the black-white violence of their recent past that that will degrade and humiliate themselves just to maintain peace. It's not noble, it's not sensible, and it's very depressing. Why did the young black girl student, in the beginning of the story allow herself to be, essentially, raped by this odious troglodyte of a poetry teacher? She obviously didn't like him at all. Are we supposed to believe these blacks in South Africa have a slave mentality that prevents them from resisting a white man? I don't believe that for a moment. And how could the Malkovich character, so contrite about what he's done to the girl that he prostrates himself on the floor and apologizes to her mother—how does that attitude square with his seduction of the veterinarian woman without any regard for the feelings of her husband? And it goes on and on, all against a painful, callous background of dog euthanasia. Disgusting.

Are you kidding me? How can a more ludicrous movie plot exist? Ha Ha Ha. So the lesbian star is F'd up beyond belief. Malkavich should leave that trailer trash moron to her own fate or better yet she should take her own life.And those punk ass thugs? Just kill them. Maybe the dogs could mutilate them. The complicit farmer guy? Kill him too. Ha HA HA stupid! Are people nuts? If those people truly have those values in their culture - intense acid rain and out of control rhinos is the best answer.A sickening waste of time.Okay the sociopath professor was moderately interesting and the repentance to the family was alright.But really, just grind up those South African gang banger rapists in a meat grinder.I am a fool for watching that piece of shi* movie.Malkovich: You let me down.Uuugg.

I've NOT read the book and WILL NOT as I was deeply disturbed by the movie. This was a quality production, above average direction with very good performances, especially Malkovich, always weird but great. I saw two important themes; the main character Lurie's dispassionate, self-absorbed and arrogant existence (and an eventual partial thaw)amid the chaos and turmoil as South Africa reverts to a lawless culture as the structure accorded by apartheid unravels. The core of the plot is not Lurie but he and his daughter's relationship with their world around them as they lose their favored white status and grow fearful of racially-motivated violence. Malkovich shines as his character's aloof persona moves about unhurriedly and only the most disturbing event imaginable gets him riled to the point of some level of action. I believe the greatest disgrace, among several is Petrus' reaction to the rape and violence perpetrated upon his white neighbors. His matter-of-fact behavior, deceit and rationalization is absolutely astounding. The inference I drew is that as whites they had it coming to them. Also a disgrace is the decision by Lucy to remain even though she knows she was a target for the jackroll and may be again. It's clear that as a white woman she is a favored target. That Lucy and David lower their guards to perhaps prevent the assaults is almost beyond belief and shows the naiveté and vulnerability of these whites who fall from power. The movie reveals the deep racism and hatred in South Africa.

After viewing the first five minutes, it dawned on me that I had read this book a few years ago. It is a little hard to identify with the central figure, played by the quirky Malkovich. He makes decisions without a moments thought for their consequences. It would seem that he has little if any regard for anyone. So when he disgraces himself with his totally unprofessional behavior, he finds himself in the South African countryside, in the middle of racial tension following the end of apartheid. What is happening is an uneasy meeting of the two cultures as David (played by Malkovich) moves in with his daughter and stumbles around in his arrogant stupor, causing her no end of pain. She has her own issues. She is ultimately gang raped by some of the local blacks but refuses to rock the boat. She has no place to go and finds herself disenfranchised. Malkovich is a coward when it comes down to it or he is just plain stupid or so shortsighted. Anyway, Coetzee tells a great tale with a chance for reclamation all around. it's a purification through suffering. The cultures need time to settle in and it won't be easy.