It's being touted as "The Best Picture of The Year". That's a bit much, though it is a well written, well acted picture. This is a raw, dark and harsh story of loneliness and prejudice. It takes place in the south and the characters are all needing something that they don't have but have no idea of that need or WHAT they need. Their lives are ugly and at the same time, normal.

One of the focuses of the story is Hank, played by Billy Bob Thornton (Slingblade...1996) who is a corrections officer that handles executions at the state prison. The picture starts out with the electrocution of Laurence, played surprisingly well by Sean Combs (Pee Daddy or Puff Diddy or whatever the hell he calls himself) who has been on death row for eleven years and time has run out. Also working on death row is Hank's boy Sonny (Heath Ledger) who has a terrible relationship with his dad and his grandfather Buck played by Peter Boyle (YoungFrankenstein...1974).

The other focus of this picture deserves a paragraph of her own. I am talking about Leticia who is AMPLY portrayed by Halle Berry (Good Lord!). Just when I thought she couldn't get better looking after Swordfish she proves me wrong! Just by chance, her path crosses the path of Hank (Thornton). To complicate matters, she happens to be the wife of Laurence (the electrocutee). Now remember folks, this is the deep south, she's a black lady (Fine!), he's a southern white man and his daddy is a racist cracker. Need I say more? This is a sad and tragic picture with a halfway happy ending but getting to that ending is one hell of a ride. A well written story and fabulous acting from Berry and Thornton make the ride enjoyable.

"It takes a person to really SEE a person".

RECOMMENDATION: This picture is WELL worth the time and ticket price (though ya'll know I'm MR. Matinee). I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's rated R for sexual content so leave the kids at home.

TWO HARD BUT FAIR THUMBS UP! (Color blind!)

Movie Review © 2002 by Terry Anderson