i generally don't give too many movies a high rating but after this particular viewing, i was completely floored by jodie foster's brilliant performance as thirteen year-old rynn jacobs who lives with her never seen father in a small new england town. through her many interactions with the people in her life, she is clearly wiser and older beyond her years. she is clearly independent, intelligent and capable of out witting and out smarting the adults in the town which includes a nosey neighbour and her paedophile son played by a young martin sheen, and a police officer who routinely makes visits to rynn's home. jodie plays the role and delivers her lines with icy coolness and calm. i could not see any other young actress of today's generation repeating such a fine performance. i especially enjoyed the tense conversations and interactions between foster and actress alexis smith who portrays mrs. hallett. scott jacoby who plays the role of mario, rynn's love interest and confidant also did a fine job. i read somewhere that foster begged and pleaded with the director and producers of the film not to shoot the love scene between her and mario. considering that she was only fourteen at the time, it is understandable. instead they used her sister to stand in for the scene. the movie is difficult to get a hold of, but i highly recommend people to view this.
