THIS MOVIE SUCKED

For a moderate-length movie this one seemed really long. The drama is profoundly annoying and dull, even supposing it's an accurate depiction of the time. Liv Tyler's character, Pam, is particularly unbearable. Doug is a total putz and I would have given up on Pam early on. Really, I wouldn't have given her much of a chance. It's not like she really had anything going on for her besides coming from a wealthy family shrouded in lies and a certain mystique.

Pam doesn't put out and this movie, once again, makes the liberal Hollywood lie a merit: The wussy-man town idiot who gets fixated on a single girl, who accepts her for all of her quirks and forgives her betrayal; and the "decent rich girl" who falls for a total, socially inept and cowardly putz. We see this scenario play out over and over again in the movies but not in the real world.

I almost feel bad for Jen Connelley for taking the role of Eleanor. Liv Tyler is not even mediocre but Connelley is a talented actress who deserves a better part than the town slut who gets shipped off to a "nut house" to protect the Abbott's family image. That said, the film gets points for good acting from Joaquin Phoenix and for a someone realistic plot, even though the Holts and Abbotts simply cannot help "running into" one another all across the states.

The bottom line, though, is the film is so unbearable to watch for its "love story" which is sterile and pathetic that I cannot give it more than 6/10. It get's that many points only because even for the lack of realism of certain plot point, I believe it gives an overall realistic depiction of the rigid 1950s yes-man mentality.