Michael Cuesta's film was pretty hard to take and I felt spent after seeing it. Picturesque areas of Long Island that I'm familiar with have never seemed so barren. Brian Cox, as just one of the inept/venal father figures in this movie, gives an uncompromising portrayal in a role that most actors wouldn't be caught alive in. As the principal youth in the film, Paul Franklin Dano is innocent, curious, knowing, seductive and lost. I found this film upsetting on many levels, none of which merited its being saddled with an "NC 17" rating from the MPAA. Jack Valenti, give to me a break!
