Overrated and overhyped

Expected more

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

There's a great deal of hurt and grief in this movie, so get ready with the Prozac. Neither of these two women have particularly edifying lives... One is a young girl accused of murdering her just born baby, and is a target for hatred by all the neighbourhood, the other has just suffered a miscarriage before falling pregnant again, and her husband may or may not be cheating on her. And that's to say nothing of the poor deer. Yup, if you're looking for a feel good time, better rewatch The Sound Of Music. Just leave me out of it.This is the type of film I can really get my teeth into, with complex emotions and tricky predicaments that challenge the audience. Nothing here is easily resolved, and these crisis can either make or break you. Fortunately, the actors are more than up to the task, with the always excellent Tilda Swinton conveying the psyche of a woman on the edge perfectly, and newcomer Amber Tamblyn as an innocent who makes a choice which she's roundly condemned for, but considering her tender years and inexperience... Who are we to judge? Oh, and going by the ending... The American justice system continues to suck. 7/10

Wow, what a movie! As most of the comments before, acting was superb, the story was well laid out, intelligently and without patronizing explanations. What I was really aware of this time- I am not one very sensitive to technique in general- was the way the film was shot and the resulting realistic feel. None of the "look at me I am using a hand held camera so people would think it's a documentary" but I had the constant feeling this was real. The scene where the two Cranes are at the party, the unselective sound made the scene fell like it was a real party, one where you have a hard time sorting out voices and conversation from the general din. The camera was slightly swaying sometimes and the light not perfectly chosen so you felt like you do in real life: not always in the best spot to witness life unraveling, which is a characteristic of most movies, where any viewer is sitting in first row. That gave the performances extra boost, extra credibility and made the viewer absorb the movie's content even more deeply.The scene in the bathroom at the ski trip is devastating, you can almost feel her physical and emotional pain and her conflicting emotions about the abortion, there for you to witness out of that sliver of space between door and doorjamb. Unforgettable. Too bad she is not getting an Oscar for it, but seldom Oscars are given to best actors, just best actors on the main circuit who made the movies at the right time to get the prize etc etc...If this is not worth a 10 what is? But definitely not for anyone, not for those who need special effects or to be blasted from the chair by action or violence... for a mature audience even though the message is about the kids the movie is for their parents, to change how sex is taught in school...

While Tilda Swinton does another one of her typically marvelous performances, it is Amber Tamblyn who displays the surprisingly great acting chops in this film. I must admit that although I knew of her for her TV role in "Joan of Arcadia" and for the movie, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," let's just say that I don't think a 46 year old guy is typically in her target audience. After this role, however, I have no doubt that if she keeps her head on straight, she's the next great actress of her generation. As other commenter's have noted, her scene in the public bathroom on the ski trip is at times uncomfortable because of how devastatingly powerful it is. Tamblyn's performance deserves a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination at the very least, but because this film has barely been seen (even seemingly by the frequent movie-going audience of IMDb!), I doubt it's even on most people's radar.

It's funny, at the average video store, it's really a hit or miss game - you can't tell anything by the cover art. Picking up random titles is something of a habit, some hit, most miss, and with some you really have to wonder if the people who released the film have actually watched it. Every so often, however, you get a very pleasant surprise, and Stephanie Daley is one of the reasons I love the movies. Hilary Brougher is an extraordinary talent, and experiencing the performances by some of the finest actors working today was inspiring.Spending an evening with this film was a breath of fresh air and a treat - thank you!