The acting is very good. If you haven't read the book, you probably will enjoy it more, as the film leaves out a lot and changes quite a bit of the book. But the worst part is that, in condensing the story, the film felt choppy, rushed, and confusing, especially towards the end. There is also a major plot element that happened in the past. It's shown in flashbacks, but they're scattered through the movie, and they're not terribly coherent. I knew what was going on because I'd read the book (which was superb), but if I hadn't, I think I would have felt more than a bit befuddled. All of this said, however, the film is worth watching, because the story itself is so deeply moving, and the acting is truly stand-out.