Personal Effects

A beautiful film, better than most theatrical releases
I rented this movie on a sort of lark, thinking from the scant, critical reviews I'd read online that it might be an amusing dud where Ashton Kutcher tries to act and can't. Was I ever wrong! This is a beautiful, sensitive and deeply moving drama that had me literally at the edge of my seat by the end of it. Michele Pfeiffer is brilliant, and Ashton Kutcher a fine dramatic actor who reminded me a bit of Woody Harrelson in his portrayal. This movie is better than 90 percent or more of regular theatrical releases, and I can't understand why it went straight to DVD. The supporting cast, including Kathy Bates as a grieving mother, is wonderful; the story, written by the author of the highly acclaimed "The Ice Storm" original and very affecting. It brought to mind both "In the Bedroom" and "Little Children." I'd like to buy it and watch it again. It makes me think Kutcher could have a future as a leading man.

A Gem!
This movie was a great surprise. I did not know what to expect and ended up loving it. It is like a small indie flick but it stars three well-known actors: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, and Ashton Kutcher. I was surprised by what a good actor Ashton Kutcher is.

The movie starts out with a group of people meeting together in a grief support group. Ashton Kutcher's sister has been murdered and Michelle Pfeiffer's husband has been murdered. Kathy Bates plays Ashton Kutcher's mother. Michelle Pfeiffer has a teen-aged son who is deaf. Ashton Kutcher had the potential to be a nationally recognized wrestler prior to his sister's murder. After her murder, he returns home to be with his mother and to watch the trial. He reaches out to Michelle Pfeiffer's son by getting him involved in wrestling. Gradually, Ashton Kutcher and Michelle Pfeiffer become attracted to each other and begin a relationship that is poignantly sweet and deep.

I highly recommend this...

Things Left Behind - 'Good Stuff'
PERSONAL EFFECTS is a solid little film written by director David Hollander and the fine novelist Rick Moody. The premise is a study of how the traumatic deaths of people affect those left behind. The story is well told, allows the audience to explore the group therapy approach offered to families of violently killed people - the various means of responding to loss, the differing reactions from those who cannot let go of the hate they have for losing a loved one, and introduces an interesting concept of having one of the characters who narrates the film be a deaf mute young man!

Gloria (Kathy Bates) is the mother of twins - the girl was been brutalized and murdered and the boy Andrew (Ashton Kuchter) has left his career as a wrestler to return to the scene of the crime to mourn his sister and to demand the perpetrator be convicted and imprisoned: his career has been put on hold and he ekes out a living dressed as a chicken for a fast food chicken restaurant. During the...

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