Judging by the reviews here and the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, this is a so-so movie with a few good moments. Ebert seems to be the only critic who loved it and understood the film. It's not hard to understand and has no secret hidden meaning or anything; the movie is poetic, subtle and perceptive.
The setting for the film, a small factory town in North Carolina during autumn, adds so much character to the movie. Every character we follow, each one fully fleshed out and given a satisfying conclusion to their roll, has grown up in this town and they talk of life and all it's uncertainty. Some talk of their new found happiness, others reflect on their silly youthful behavior and the new life coming with eagerness to be grown up. Each scene is masterful; framed so effectively for each conversation taking place. Take the opening scene for example- two lovers behind an out of focus brick building during a cool fall night, pipes in the background quietly emitting steam into the air, our characters talking quietly of romantic inhibitions and not being caught. It's pure art and the entire movie is like this.
I had recently watched David Gordon Green's George Washington, Undertow, and Joe. Each one is excellent and I thought this would also be good, but I didn't expect it to do to me what it did. I think I get why some people don't like it, they have probably never been in love or are jealous of others who are. This movie is for every hopeless romantic or anyone who felt the raw emotion that comes with a chilly late night rendezvous on the river bank, curled up, staying warm, and talking of life's riddles with the one they love.
The setting for the film, a small factory town in North Carolina during autumn, adds so much character to the movie. Every character we follow, each one fully fleshed out and given a satisfying conclusion to their roll, has grown up in this town and they talk of life and all it's uncertainty. Some talk of their new found happiness, others reflect on their silly youthful behavior and the new life coming with eagerness to be grown up. Each scene is masterful; framed so effectively for each conversation taking place. Take the opening scene for example- two lovers behind an out of focus brick building during a cool fall night, pipes in the background quietly emitting steam into the air, our characters talking quietly of romantic inhibitions and not being caught. It's pure art and the entire movie is like this.
I had recently watched David Gordon Green's George Washington, Undertow, and Joe. Each one is excellent and I thought this would also be good, but I didn't expect it to do to me what it did. I think I get why some people don't like it, they have probably never been in love or are jealous of others who are. This movie is for every hopeless romantic or anyone who felt the raw emotion that comes with a chilly late night rendezvous on the river bank, curled up, staying warm, and talking of life's riddles with the one they love.