The film held your interest throughout. The storyline was true to the events and there was absolutely no "preaching". The movie did not have an agenda and that was good. The ordeal Patty Hearst went through should have been more graphic or more powerful. She ended up coming off as a ditz - a dimwit. The members of the SLA were laughable. Cinque's politically motivated tirades were comical:"Capitalist oppressor pigs of Amerikkka!!!" Funny stuff. William Forsythe, who usually puts forth a convincing performance as the heavy (see "Out for Justice"), seemed to be on comic relief mode. He seemed like a member of "Saturday Night Live" doing a satire of this character. The film was obviously low budget. It should have shown the shootout in detail and the SLA members burning inside their hideout. This was glossed over and just showed televised news coverage of the burning house. The end did show the letdown Patty Hearst received when the media turned on her and law enforcement officials treated her badly. I don't think Natasha Richardson was up to the task. She really didn't convey any emotions other than confusion.
Review of Patty Hearst
