Fantastic performances by Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi. This is the first time I see either of them, so I can't compare their performance to any of their pervious roles. The other members of the cast give a good performance as well.
Katie Holmes' much talked-about topless scene is definitely with taste and I don't think it was put there to draw the younger audience to see the movie. However, I do feel it wasn't vital, and the story would have stayed intact without it.
Danny Elfman gives what seems to be the shortest cameo in cinema ever. As my favorite composer/musician I was looking forward to his cameo and expected it to be a speaking part and a bit longer. Nonetheless, he did a good job. I don't know why he was so hard on himself with the outcome. (BTW, did he remind you of Beetlejuice too?)
Sam Raimi did a great job. He made the characters highly believable, and brought out a very realistic performance from the cast - notably the violent scene in which Donnie Barksdale (Keanu Reeves) breaks into Annie's home and drags his wife (Hilary Swank) out, while Annie is chasing them and slip on the paint.
The first half of the movie is fascinating. However, it is the second half - which suppose to be suspenseful and more interesting than the first - that I found quite weak. Perhaps it was because I knew who the killer was; perhaps it was because the overall feeling was that after all there isn't much suspense, that the details given before don't contribute a lot, other than to try to confuse the viewer a bit, and that at the end it's just a very simple story, which can be summed up in one sentence; And finally, perhaps it was because some of the characters were highly detailed, while others (such as the murdered woman herself) were very low on details and almost absent.
* MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD *
Several things that disturbed me the most were before and during the trial. First, why would it be so bad for the prosecution that a Psychic had told the police where to find the body - does it matter WHY they came to look for the body at the lake? The facts stayed the same - none of them was based on a "Psychic evidence". Also, while Annie was on the stand, I felt that it was only reasonable for the prosecutor to say "Objection. The witness is not the defendant here!".
Another thing was Donnie Barksdale on the stand. A wife-beating redneck that suddenly becomes a lamb, confessing (in court!) of beating up his wife and realizing he's a "bad guy" doing unchristian things. The beatings are also taken as granted a few scenes earlier, when Donnie beats up Annie in front of a surprisingly indifferent Sheriff.
* END OF SPOILERS *
Overall, I think the story is the weakest point in the film. If it was for the first part alone, I'd give the movie a 7/10, but at the end I felt quite disappointed, which brings it to a 6/10.
Good score by Chris Young.
Katie Holmes' much talked-about topless scene is definitely with taste and I don't think it was put there to draw the younger audience to see the movie. However, I do feel it wasn't vital, and the story would have stayed intact without it.
Danny Elfman gives what seems to be the shortest cameo in cinema ever. As my favorite composer/musician I was looking forward to his cameo and expected it to be a speaking part and a bit longer. Nonetheless, he did a good job. I don't know why he was so hard on himself with the outcome. (BTW, did he remind you of Beetlejuice too?)
Sam Raimi did a great job. He made the characters highly believable, and brought out a very realistic performance from the cast - notably the violent scene in which Donnie Barksdale (Keanu Reeves) breaks into Annie's home and drags his wife (Hilary Swank) out, while Annie is chasing them and slip on the paint.
The first half of the movie is fascinating. However, it is the second half - which suppose to be suspenseful and more interesting than the first - that I found quite weak. Perhaps it was because I knew who the killer was; perhaps it was because the overall feeling was that after all there isn't much suspense, that the details given before don't contribute a lot, other than to try to confuse the viewer a bit, and that at the end it's just a very simple story, which can be summed up in one sentence; And finally, perhaps it was because some of the characters were highly detailed, while others (such as the murdered woman herself) were very low on details and almost absent.
* MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD *
Several things that disturbed me the most were before and during the trial. First, why would it be so bad for the prosecution that a Psychic had told the police where to find the body - does it matter WHY they came to look for the body at the lake? The facts stayed the same - none of them was based on a "Psychic evidence". Also, while Annie was on the stand, I felt that it was only reasonable for the prosecutor to say "Objection. The witness is not the defendant here!".
Another thing was Donnie Barksdale on the stand. A wife-beating redneck that suddenly becomes a lamb, confessing (in court!) of beating up his wife and realizing he's a "bad guy" doing unchristian things. The beatings are also taken as granted a few scenes earlier, when Donnie beats up Annie in front of a surprisingly indifferent Sheriff.
* END OF SPOILERS *
Overall, I think the story is the weakest point in the film. If it was for the first part alone, I'd give the movie a 7/10, but at the end I felt quite disappointed, which brings it to a 6/10.
Good score by Chris Young.