- one of the most veteran-seeming debuts in recent memory, Courtney Hunt helms a feature that carefully straddles the line of drama and thriller, neither falling into any genre nor conforming to its cliches
- Melissa Leo mans the film. there's not much reason the role couldn't have been played by a male, but one is thankful it wasn't. thesp bears resemblance to Helen Hunt's character in Pay It Forward without any of the Hollywood buzz or spoon fed character traits. she doesn't ask us to like her, or root for her, but we do because we can see the desperation in her wrinkled hands and weathered eyes
- expert cinematography from Reed Morano, who like Hunt as no previous film credits but possesses a great eye for detail in the film's icy suburban setting
- i feared momentarily that the film's ending was spiraling into the ordinary, but is saved by Leo's last minute change of mind. this sacrifice isn't presented as self-righteous, but as logical and appropriate. pic ends with a great set piece that offers recollective poignancy
9/great, uninfluenced performance piece (and then some)
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