The dangers of having a narcissistic love one in your life are dramatically portrayed in Coastlines. Be it a relative or a close friend, having a totally self absorbs person close to you (or your family) can be devastating beyond belief.  Sonny's exploitation of Dave and Ann's relationship problems for his own gain coupled with zero sense of how destructive his actions will be to Dave, Ann and the children clearly show how "having" the wrong people around you or your family can ruin your lifes. The movie did a great job portraying this. Dave's decision to bring a "bad apple" like Sonny into his family was a dangerous decision that he even repeats at the end of the movie. Having sex over and over and over with Sonny showed Ann's desperation to escape the sacrifices of being a good parent and spouse. Leaving the "real' life one is in for a criminal with sweet talk and looks demonstrated how short sighted Ann really was. With hotter and more involved sex scenes and a better ending (maybe one where Dave forgives Sonny but has Sonny leave town forever) would have made this movie more enjoyable to watch and more believable. Bringing your best friend who's life is a mess and is banging your wife back home with open arms is not believable. Nice try but came up short in believability.

'Coastlines' is a film that draws you in with superb character development. It takes a methodical approach allowing the players on screen plenty of space to grow their characters. Through the first parts of the film I was riveted; not by flashy Hollywood gimmicks, but through the purity of each actor's performance and their course through the story.The progression through the middle of the film maintains this steady hand, and we are introduced to branching story lines which keeps the viewer guessing at what's coming next. Is this a revenge film? Is it a story about friendship, or perhaps a story of betrayal? It never becomes clear as to what 'type' of movie you're watching, and this leads to a sense of anticipation as the film is rarely predictable.I was waiting for some kind of dramatic conclusion near the end, or more appropriately, I was pondering what judgments the film would make on the morality of its characters. 'Coastlines' never makes any bold statements to this effect, however, besides perhaps the thematic allusions to unconditional love. The story takes a foray into complex adult themes without finding a coherent resolution, and I feel this was the bridge too far for 'Coastlines'.If you are a patient viewer who appreciates the nuances of finely wrought character development then I encourage you to see this film... and draw your own conclusions.

This movie seems to be in commercial release finally, and you should see it. It is a companion to Ruby in Paradise and Yulee's Gold, both by Victor Nunez, and has most of their virtues (and drawbacks, maybe -- for example, I don't like the sound design choices that have been made in any of these movies....). The languid feel of the coastal towns from Carabelle to Apalachicola (Florida) is well evoked -- though the story could, I suppose, happen most anywhere. The three lead actors are all outstanding.Many of the locales in which the film is set look very different today, after hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Dennis (2005), not to mention further commercial development.

I was in this movie, and I am terribly disappointed it is not available to the public-- not just because I am in it, but because it is well acted, written, and directed. Victor Nunez was lauded for his other works... why not for this one?