Let down...

What a horribly, horribly constructed film from beginning to end

Let's begin with the casting gone awry from the beginning. Laura Dern was just plain wrong for this part. Peter Krause and Mark Ruffalo did what they could with the drudgery they were given for dialogue (and for English professors!?). Naomi Watts, whom I normally have great respect for, merely ironed her fidgety, overly-emotional character from 21 Grams. We all know she likes the darker roles...how about changing it up a bit if you're going to stick to that genre. True, dark roles are more interesting, but how about a new perspective besides a mere imitation of past roles?

Next lets discuss the inconsistencies of the music. We move from classical pieces to stringy arpeggiated piano scores...neither of which were slotted appropriately with what was occurring in the film.

Pacing...so excrutiatingly slow I couldn't sit still...we move from one lopsided...unmotivated sexual scene to a barrage of ridiculously plotted "arguments" between Mark Ruffalo and Laura Dern, who by the way, perfected an incomprehensible sneer with every snatch of dialogue she had.

And yes...the trains and the crossing guards...it absolutely was a horribly pretentious metaphor that was overstated and ultimately unneeded.

I was so let down by this film I debated whether or not to keep the DVD...not that it matters I won't be watching it again...