Such an underrated film (Spoilers)

I can't believe this movie did not get more attention. Perhaps because it has such an overtly Christian message and people tend to shy away from that.
This movie was just expertly written, acted, and directed.

I actually had a half second (okay, maybe a nanosecond) of empathy for Reggie, which speaks to Clifton Powell's acting ability. He created empathy at the end for an utterly despicable character. Mind you, I can't really feel bad for him. Child molestors deserve to die or at least to be locked up where they can never get out and hurt another child again. But Powell showed that no one, no matter what they do, ever thinks they are a bad person. He was able to reach into this character's mind and show that even a monster like Reggie thinks that deep down he is an okay guy.

Kimberly Elise was incredible as Michelle. She should get more major roles. I liked her as Helen in Diary of a Mad Black Woman, but this was a meatier role and she took it on beautifully. Poor Michelle should have gotten no more than 5 years for her crime. Certainly not death row. Elise demonstrated the destruction that sexual abuse wreaks on a person's life. She did a wonderful job depicting the horrible effects of untreated post traumatic stress disorder.

The only complaint I have is that I would think that the police would find the bloody child's dress, realize this man was her mother's boyfriend and put two and two together. However, it also is an indictment on our justice - I take that back, our legal system. Michelle was poor, black, a former drug addict, and a former prostitute. The fact that no one bothered to look for a reason why she might kill Reggie and instead just wrote her off as a public menace might unfortunately reflect how things would play out in real life.

Again, just a good movie.