A waste of 90 minutes of my life

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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

Sad, lonely, bitter and disillusioned crack addict Alix (a remarkably brave, naked and electrifying performance by Ana Reeder) resides on the mean streets of Manhattan's Lower Eastside and ekes out a bleak and thankless existence selling stolen goods so she can support her dope habit. One day Alix overdoes on bad junk, passes out and gets dumped in an apartment hallway. Friendly and compassionate successful photographer Digna (a winningly sweet portrayal by Michael Hyatt) gives Alix shelter and tries to get Alix to surmount her drug problem so she can get her life back on track. Writer/director Rosemary Rodriguez relates the grim and absorbing story in a riveting and convincing no-frills documentary style: Luke Geissbuhler's rough, grainy, hand-held cinematography, the occasionally jarring editing, the grungy, homely and unglamorous extras, Jim Coleman's spare, bluesy score, the heartbreaking tragic conclusion, and the gritty urban locations add immensely to this picture's overall sense of harsh realism. The central friendship between the two main characters is painfully honest, moving and insightful. Reeder and Hyatt truly shine in their tough and demanding roles; they receive fine support from Nestor Rodriguez as Digna's apathetic, but basically decent boyfriend Anthony and Christopher Kadish as strung-out struggling musician Mark. Raw, credible and uncompromisingly hard around the edges, this strong and deeply touching indie sleeper rates as a total powerhouse.

This well made and worthy first film by Rosemary Rodriguez is a must see film for anyone with a loved one, friend or interest in drug addiction. It is moving, informative and interesting and obviously a labor of love and hard-won knowledge. Ana Reeder and Nestor Rodriguez shine brightly in a cast of great convincing actors that bring you along into their story of pain, loss, redemption, and tragedy and hope as believably and naturally as I've seen. And the story is honest, raw and strong. Rosemary Rodrigez really can handle the typewriter and an indie film crew. I started to watch this little masterpiece 3 months ago on a houseboat with a beat up 17" TV and several noisy friends. The beautiful opening and music immediately cried out to me for a better and more respectful viewing and I packed the DVD away in a Manhattan bound bag. Last night I finally had a good movie friend over and decent screen and sound system and broke out Acts Of Worship. Both of us know the Lower Side of the the early 90's and love great movies. This is a winner. Great Story. Great Visuals. Great Locations. Great Sound. Great Acting. Great Lean and Raw Directing.Rent or buy a copy ASAP. Love your friends and family and share it with them. Don't let go of hope, don't give up on truth. Be useful, act kindly and bravely, and see Acts of Worship.

This felt like MORE than a movie... it felt as if we had some sort of porthole into the lives of REAL people living the life of real addicts in a real city. The acting in this movie was impeccable. The characters were more than believable, they were so authentic that is was like watching a reality show. The human emotions that would trail across the faces and through the eyes of the characters followed by the desperation for the next fix... the slow sinking to new lows... each scene depicted the underworld that's out there and the selfish but pathetic lifestyle and thought processes of the addict, played out to their inevitable consequences. This movie was so real it hurt to watch it and various scenes have come back to haunt both my husband and myself for several days after having watched it. An amazing portrayal that maybe asks some questions but definitely has no answers only looks to us with empty eyes and open, shaky hands.

Although I was raised a Baptist, I no longer consider myself to be religious. Not that I have a problem with religion; saying I am not religious has about the same value for me as saying I am not blond. I do not imply I have a problems with blonds. That said, I HATE being proselytized to. I had heard that this was a great movie, but I was a bit nervous about the title. Many movies justify their glamorized portrayal of the drug world by trying to counter-balance with some well-meaning but tiresome preaching of the evils of drugs. It's like the director wants to have his/her cake and eat it too, showing "the good stuff" that sells movies while saving face with the parents of the movie's viewers. BOY, was I wrong to ever suspect any kind of phony, preachy B.S. in this movie. The closest thing I have to a religion is my honesty, which I cling to as dearly as a family jewel. Therefore, when I say this is the most honest film I have ever seen, I mean it. I cannot reveal the real reason the movie is called "Acts of Worship" without spoiling the ending. But I can say without reservation that this is the most remarkable, believable and honest film about the drug world I have ever seen. I have seen many of the genre: "Requiem for a Dream", "Trainspotting", "Traffic", "Drugstore Cowboy", and countless others. Watching this movie was in and of itself like an "act of worship", because my reverence for honesty in film-making was so profoundly embraced. Thank you Rosemary, Ana and Michael, for giving me this gift.P.S. Michael, I thought it totally sucked when The West Wing did not keep the Angela character. I was glad to finally see a believable character on my favorite show. Please come back!