everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

I think I know what the film-makers were aiming to create here and while I enjoyed some of the cinematography, the capture of the familiar industrial urban complex highwayed out in the middle of nowhere-in-particular and a pleasantly interesting, dreamlike sequence involving sunbathing and a snake, this film fails to make real impact. I'm sorry, but Paz de la Huerta cannot act, for starters. Yes, she does have a somewhat exotic screen presence and I can appreciate why Paz was chosen for the role she plays, but the woman is just so unconvincing, passionless and dull; she merely opens her pouty lips to allow words to fall out and it's all very wooden in what appears to be a permanently coked-out zone. Diane Agron, conversely, seems to be a good actress but unfortunately Paz made her look she was overdoing it, or taking it all too seriously. For instance, I could not believe her when her character, Sarah, tells 'Pepper' (Paz), 'when I'm with you, I feel like anything is possible, anything could happen'. Really? That's pretty generous when Diane is the one who seems the far livelier and more interesting and passionate of the two! Since when does pushing drugs on vulnerable women, living in squats and being chased by angry thugs make someone edgy and exciting where 'anything could happen' as opposed to making them a real freaking headache to have around and someone who might get themselves or you killed at any given minute?There's not much of a story arc, and no tension to speak of so the film's resolution falls flat. Character development is poor thus stereotypes must suffice for a boyfriend, friend, work-place 'bitch', a bunch of strippers and a proverbial bad guy who wants his money.That's all folks.

This is not exactly a glowing review, but I do want to address something before I get down to any critique.Giving a film one star even though you think it deserves more is just a crass and cynical thing to do, and the guy who admits he did so should be ashamed of himself for doing it. There are people who absolutely loved this movie. Fans of the actors in particular, which is to be expected. I myself absolutely loved it when I first saw it at its world premiere, and even rescheduled my flight to go back and watch it again a few days later. The cinematography is brilliant, and the role that Dianna Agron plays is far removed from anything else she's done. Her character is very passive and quiet, and thus it falls on her to act as much with her body language and expressions as her spoken words. She pulls it off brilliantly. If you're like me, you may very well come away with an 8-star feeling on your first viewing.Having said that, after watching it a few more times I've started to see some of the shortcomings, though I do still think it's a good film. First of all, I think it helps to be able to relate to or imagine growing up not just in a small town, but in a town with literally nothing to offer besides mind-numbing lack of social life and completely menial nowhere jobs. If you can't put yourself in those shoes, you likely will not get a lot of the film's impact. If you've ever had a time in your life where drinking beer by the dump and then shooting at the cans was the highlight of your week, you'll definitely see where this comes from. That's not really a shortcoming, but it does limit what a lot of people can really get out of the story.As I said above, the cinematography was generally brilliant. The cameras and the way this movie was shot do a great deal to set the scenes, often as much or more than the actors. There are, however, times when this attempt at making art with the cameras actually resulted in scenes that were difficult to understand simply because they were too subtle. Too artistic rather than advancing the narrative. There are also a few times when the narrative is just plain interrupted with awkward dialogue that really could have been either done away with or done better in a perfect world. More on that below.The main actors, including Sarah's family and friends, were all brilliant with the exception (in my mind) of Paz de la Huerta. She was almost right for the role, but in the end her mannerisms just became too much; too distracting. There were a few scenes where her portrayal was almost like a record skipping in the middle of a song, and honestly she could have toned things down a bit and been better.One last issue is simply because of what the film is. An indie by a first-time director shot on a very tight budget and a very limited time frame. When you consider that, this really is an amazing end product. Having talked to the producers, I know there were scenes they wish they could have re-shot, dialogue they wish they could have smoothed out, things they wish they'd done differently. But unlike with major studio productions, you often only have one real shot at it. There's not room in the schedule to scrap a day of shooting and try it over again. There's not room in the budget to pay for the use of a location or the crew salaries to go back and do it over. You have to get it right the first time.They mostly did, and if you look at it like that this is definitely an achievement. It's a story that's overall well told and beautiful to look at. Of course it's not a brand new story nobody's ever told before, but it is overall well done and I think this one has enough going for it (and enough different about it) to be more than worth watching. Give it a try and see for yourself. It won't be some cinematic epiphany or holy experience, but you may just be glad you did.

I should have taken notice of the "real" reviews! I didn't really feel in the mood for an action movie or something which would need my deep attention, so I thought I'd give this a go. This movie was just bad. I can't see the point of making it except that whoever wrote the story, whoever directed it, whoever it appeals to must have had, or know a couple of women in that situation! I doubt it would appeal to a wider audience. The only people, women, it may appeal to are those who either lead such a life, want such a relationship, have been in that business, use drugs, are Bi or Lesbian... Guys, don't even think of wasting time with this!

Greetings again from the darkness. The debut feature of writer/director Natalia Leite takes on the all-too-familiar territory of a disenchanted teenager being smothered by a claustrophobic small town, and twists it into a nocturnal awakening that changes some lives, while leaving others forever jogging in place.Sarah (Dianna Agron, "Glee") is a bored, young local in a small Nevada town. She gets fired from her job as a supermarket checker and spends her time hanging out with her boyfriend (Chris Zylka) and their group of equally unambitious friends. One day she stumbles upon Pepper (Paz de la Huerta, "Boardwalk Empire") who is sleeping in an abandoned store owned by Sarah's father. Intrigued by the drifter, Sarah allows herself to be drawn into Pepper's world of drugs and strippers. A quick trip to Las Vegas really opens up Sarah's eyes to the great big world, and also leads to some amorous feelings toward Pepper.Clichés abound here as the mysterious stranger awakens the spirit of the small town dreamer; the taboo love story; the judgmental family and friends; and the "one last shift" to earn enough money to flee this small town and discover one's true purpose while living a carefree life. Pepper tosses out some philosophical musings and Sarah falls hook, line and sinker. We fully expect this to end badly for both.Filmmaker Leite does a nice job of creating the feel of the night without judging its participants too harshly. Dianna Agron has the screen presence to pull off the innocent girl's self-discovery, while Paz de la Huerta has the mysterious quality of one to whom someone like the Sarah character would be drawn. It's interesting how Sarah is allowed to choose her own path, and explore the possibilities of what might be. At best, the film is one for a sleepless night, and it does provide two disparate female leads and a director who has earned more opportunities.