Chaz Mann

Terrible wigs on the women and Schrieber was made to look like a homeless man. Even Kidman's fine acting couldn't save this turkey. Worst of all, we KNOW that Nantucket marshes are TEEMING with mosquitoes. no see-ums and other insects that destroy outdoor events. The absence of these disease carrying vectors (especially in the night scenes) made the entire visage look FAKE, which of course, it iwas; but still. The story wasn't enough to keep me interested and character just too improbable. HOW could Schrieber even function when continously high and drunk? Of course his spectacular meltdown reveals his derelict nature but too late, All in all pedestrian along with that dopey 'dance'. No.

I liked this movie for all the reasons being discussed here, but I Did NOT think it was fair to evoke the great, late and insanely gifted Leonard Bernstein as her mentor. The years are all wrong and OK, she's a fictional character with demons (so was Lenny) but I don't believe Lenny threatened first graders or stole pencils from underlings. His resurrection at the movie's end in his 'VHS Young People's Series' Concert: was certainly an homage which revealed brilliant tutelage to children and teens about music. The character of Lydia, while superbly acted by Blanchett, WAS seriously deranged and inherently evil where Lenny was the genius in constant struggle with himself. That Blanchett lectured and conducted in German was shockingly perfect and as a scene towards the end reveals Linda and her brother meet. As viewers we gratefully agree as he simply describes her essential shortcomings which we've have seen as the brilliant performance by Blanchett has shown us since the movie's midpoint to end.

I saw Krisha and was impressed with how this filmmaker shows the hideous destruction of family when drugs intrude and overcome the members. This film was Beautifully shot and the lighting was otherworldly, at least in the beginning and on par with the brilliance of Kubrick's lighting. (I am a sucker for dreamy lighting) There was a persistent orangey-red that seemed a portent of what might be wonderful or scary as the story unfolded....Story wise I had trouble with the family at the outset, especially the dad's 'tough love' stance which was uneven. I could not ascertain what the parents professions were? Lawyers, builders, psychiatrists, other medical personnel.....? That confused me as did Tyler's going to his MRI alone (as a minor - at least one parent should have accompanied him on such an important appointment - at LEAST as important as a wrestling meet!) This, I think, was the seminal moment of his (Tyler's) descent into the negative vortex that followed. Again, where were these previously over-involved parents all of a sudden? Tyler and his young, immature girlfriend did not seem to know one another beyond their sexuality, despite all the family familiarity. She bleached his hair, but didn't talk to him. Additionally, the young, doomed girfriend didn't seem to even like Tyler all that much. However, these inconsistencies aside, it was a VERY compelling story that kept me wanting to know more. The affluence of the kids and families, and the almost total absentee parenting (with the exception of the boy's wrestling) seemed contradictory. But as far as a movie that tells a story - superb! I could appreciate the ending, at least from the daughter's POV and she emerged the true survivor. Very important these days when many movies, though well developed, fail at the end for lack of an 'end'.

I have been captivated by this show and though I am a gentile, I appreciate how well written and acted it was. I did wonder if the depiction of how heavily the men smoked was accurate? It seemed quite extreme, especially in light of Shulem's chest pain and subsequent need for a Holter monitor. But again the stories were VERY compelling and the Haredi culture was an excellent background which helped to show that people share issues across faith boundaries though the strict code of adherence to the commandments certainly can't be easy in this day and age with iPhones everywhere. Anyway I hope there will be a season 3 because too many loose ends irritated me! What happened to the dog? Did Akiva marry Libbi? What happened to the artist who was the neighbor in Akiva's studio? I LOVED that Ruchami (sp?) DID get her man/boy in the end and that Giti came to her senses, finally. I used to work in a hospital (now closed) near the Yeshiva in Lakewood, NJ - so I could relate to some of the concepts with a degree of awareness which made it easier to understand. The patients always spoke to me and did not self-segregate; so I asked a lot of questions and thus learned a lot about their community.