Let's be realistic.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Personal Effects feels longer than it runs. There's a lot of interlude cuts, music, and closeups of Kutcher and Pfieffer - some done well while others lagging. In short the movie meanders. The relationship is not believable really, however, the general story and themes of loss seem to hit it right with anger and sadness during dialog, exchanges, and especially court scenes. Sometimes the dialog between the leads is dull, and the supposed chemistry doesn't seem real, but the supporting cast did a good job, including Kathy Bates and Spencer Hudson. Do not have high opinion of Kutcher's acting ability, but he manages to suffice in this role. The music was hit and miss especially annoying with folksy back-playing here and there. OK drama.

Personal Effects is a tedious and redundant movie which is finished with a weak and forced conclusion.Big part of the movie is focused on the romance between a young man and a mature woman, something which frankly did not interest me at all; and during the rest of the time, we contemplate their bitter lives, something which interested me even less.I appreciate the fact that Ashton Kutcher decided to explore new creative horizons taking a dramatic role such as the one from this movie.The truth is that he has cultivated such an image of a jester on his career as well as on his personal life that I thought it was going to be impossible for me to accept him as a man tortured by his past.However, I have to admit he made a competent work for most of the time, and I generally found him credible on his character.Nevertheless, the screenplay occasionally requires too much from him and he could not always comply.That happens on the manipulative scenes in which we are supposed to feel the pain from his character while he is using a chicken disguise (long story).Even though Kutcher tries to apparent gravity, the result is involuntarily laughable.Now, to be honest, I doubt that even Philip Seymour Hoffman or Chiwetel Ejiofor (just to mention two of my favorite actors) would have fared well from those ridiculous situations.As for Michelle Pfeiffer, she does what she can with her hollow character.This excellent actress showed in many occasions during her career her huge talent to find the precise tone which makes her performances not only credible, but also absolutely natural.There are some glimpses of that ability in Personal Effects, but unfortunately, the screenplay does not support her too much.Besides, director David Hollander could not generate the necessary energy in the movie, because his work feels cold and lacking of passion.I have may become too cynical.The drama portrayed in this movie may be more resonant to people who, at my difference, are not tired of pretentious and "deep" films which use easy tragedies as substitutes from the real drama (calling director Alejandro González Iñárritu...).I find it to be significant the fact that Personal Effects is based on a short story written by Rick Moody, who was also the author of the book The Ice Storm, which was adapted to the cinema on an homonym excellent film directed by Ang Lee in 1997.In that movie, there were not any apparatus tragedies or unexpected violence...just the unbearable suffering of the marital unhappiness and the existential frustration.And that was more than enough.Personal Effects could not achieve even a pinch of that level of impact with its tragedies.So, needless to say I do not recommend this mediocre and boring film called Personal Effects.

What can you say about a movie that deals with 2 murders, a rape, mental disorders, emotional issues, deafness and the prison with the hero in a chicken outfit saying "What the Cluck?!"?You laugh. But you're never sure whether you're supposed to. Is Kutcher's character funny, stupid, mentally/emotionally challenged, all of the above? You're never really sure. Maybe it's supposed to be more realistic that way but it just comes across as confusing. Lost souls, a woman and her son who lost their husband/father to violent death become enmeshed in the life of a young wrestler who lost his sister to rape & violent death. Yes, it's an excuse for groping make-out scenes between the older woman (Michelle Pfeiffer looking like a trailer tramp) and the young wrestler (Ashton Kutcher). Hard not to draw connections to Kutcher's real life marriage to Demi Moore, much older and former wife of Bruce Willis. It takes courage to boink where Bruce has boinked before and it took courage to make this movie. But it's hard to follow why in both cases. "What the Cluck?" indeed

I Don't Know Why This Movie Got Such Low Ranking Here.I Think The Story Was Interesting And Original. Rhe Plot Is A Bit Simple, But It Is More About People, And Relationships.The Acting Was Good, And It Was Nice To Sea That Michelle Pfeiffer Still Looking Great To Her Age, And I Also Liked Her Acting.I Think This Is Typically A Movie That Women Would Like To Watch, Probably Older Women, However Since It's Not The Typical Hollywood Romantic Comedy Silly Movie, And Has A Strong Male Character (Ashton Kutcher) Other People Will Find It Also Apealling.I Thought The Ending Was A Lirle Bit Predictable And Forced, But It Is Still Holiwood Movie.