Too Long for Its Own Good
2/4 stars

There's not enough in this three-hour behemoth of a movie to recommend. Out of a half a dozen storylines, I only enjoyed two: Julianne Moore's and John C. Reilly's. Those two stories were sensitive, funny, moving and ultimately poignant. Julianne Moore's scene when she completely lost it at the pharmacy was nothing short of stellar. There was a distinct sadness about it, wrapped in hilarity. If I were forced to pick a third favourite, it would be William H. Macy's, which reminded me so much of "Fargo," but it pales against the former two. The bits regarding Tom Cruise and Jeremy Blackman were a bit too forced for my liking, not to mention they took up too much screen time. I did enjoy the last thirty minutes of the film which, I think, saved this movie from getting one star out of four stars. The soundtrack is noticeable if one is a fan of Aimee Mann. As a whole, this film just didn't do it for me. It could easily have been a nintey-minute movie with more focus and less monologues.

Review by Franz Patrick