The film deserves all ten stars. It has everything. Great acting, good plot, but the themes - oh, my, the themes!There is friendship and the influences that tug and tear at it. Would the two men who are slacker/criminals stay together and remain the 'bros' they seem to be for life? There is family and what makes a family. What used to be revered - the role of father - is denied by one man and assumed by two others. No one seems qualified to assume the role, not even the state providing services. But then, that is what every man who becomes a father needs to ask himself: am I good enough for this job?There is the role of the mother. Being a biological mother with a strong love for her child, a woman fails and fails again. Ultimately, she can't cope with the repeating failure and she removes herself from the family - permanently. How a woman can feel the total responsibility on her weak shoulders is portrayed so accurately in this film, it brings tears. At one point, she asks an interviewer, 'Can you help me?' The shock is: he can't. Or he won't.There is the role of teacher. Someone who has to go by the rules, even when he may suspect that the rules are going to not play out to the benefit of a child. Then there is, for me the most important, what makes a stable relationship without sex? My impression was that these two men are not homosexuals and don't become homosexuals. Yet, their bond is strong enough to keep them in the project of a lifetime - raising a child to adulthood. At the very least, you hope that when a man and woman marry, they can get that far - to raise a child to be a young successful independent adult. But often don't! Even same-sex marriage suffer from the same maladies. Two friends? What are the odds that they could? There is the resilience of the young boy. Does every young person come so well equipped? Why did he turn out to have a future NOT behind bars but with a chance at a real education? Why is the fear that the child with a background stained by tragedy is somehow less equipped to deal with bad influences, whether while growing up or when operating as an adult? There is so much to think about having seen this movie - that it is almost TOO thought-provoking. It's a feel-good movie AND a downer movie. People are poor. Women suffer in relationships that strain their abilities to cope, and when they and children are abandoned. All too acceptable and 'normal' in today's world. There are no easy answers, not from watching this story unfold. Yet, it is worth every second of watching!

Really lovely storyline, well acted and genuine, I absolutely loved it. It wasn't what I expected and the advert really does not do it justice. I would recommend it to anyone. It also has a truly stunning accompanying soundtrack and I would highly recommend just listening to on its own. Its a very gentle film that doesn't pull its punches, its truthful and as the film goes on and the story starts to pull together you really start to realise how beautifully thought out it all is. It touches on the themes of neglect, a badly run welfare system and the horrible cycle of poverty and unfairness. Totally uplifting it made me cry twice! This film really does not get the credit it is due. Watch it and recommend it to all your friends!

So far the rating on this movie is so low - that is NOT because it is not a good movie. It combines the bro-movie with a real look at the financial circumstances so many are suffering today. Both male characters are a gentle combination of quirky losers who decide to take on a young boy who is going through hard times much as they did. Jason Ritter is such a pleasing actor, his nature and humour shine as the young man whose brother's death informs his aimlessness. Jake Sandvig is an excellent match, if you wanted to find a flaw perhaps they were too much alike, but personally I found it believable. Rebecca Hall, playing Jason's sister, is the voice of sanity - but not always right. Chandler Canterbury as the young boy is wonderful - all you would want in any 12 year old but prematurely old due to his life circumstances.Done with a beautiful subtlety and restraint, this is one of the best movies I've seen of this genre in a long time.

I showed up entirely too early to the theater for a screening at sxsw and went to see A Bag of Hammers completely by accident. The movie was fun and painful, enticing and hard to watch at some times. I was all over my seat with different emotions throughout the entire screening. The movie starts out very fun and eventually "grows up" so to speak and becomes a whole other vessel. The cast is fantastic and has supreme chemistry. I will recommend this movie to everyone I can and will go see it when it eventually opens in my home theater, just to get the experience again! The cast and director were fantastic at the screening and I can't wait to see what this fantastic group come up with next! See this movie as it tours the festivals!