terrible TERRIBLE movie

ok so now I know why I'd never heard of this movie. did it go straight to video or was it exclusively on HBO or something ??? although I appreciate the "message" it was trying to make, the performances were just awful, practically unwatchable. and the overall editing was truly about the worst I've ever seen in a movie. it looked like scenes had been slapped together in a hurry at midnight before the final cut was due. I blame a little on the writer & director, but most of it has to lie in the performances.

Reese in particular was really bad, every time she was on screen it was just unbearable. I have to blame it on her being young I guess, because Election, Legally Blonde, Walk the Line, etc. show her to be an extraordinary actress.

and Stephen, although undeniably sexy & charismatic, did not hold my attention past the first half hour, for some reason. I assume his chain smoking and over all unkempt look was supposed to be a central part of his character, but I just found it unappealing and distracting.

I kept trying to imagine other actors in their parts, but the movie was just so badly made I just wanted it to be over ASAP. I know this will sound crazy, but I think if it had been made 10 years later, with perhaps Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling or someone of their caliber, and a different director/editor of course, then perhaps it would have been a decent film and not a complete waste of 90 minutes.