I speak with great emotion with this actress, SHE WAS A GODDESS IN THIS ROLE,wole a lotta sensuality, romance with a touch of melancholy sweetness and a run-of-hope in a film so dark and wilderness, Owww whole a meg's fascinating lines i get hony. Folks, see Meg Ryan's Exciting Sweet and Spicy,is not for everday,is a unique moments A very intelligent film Thriller will appear from the Cake rising scene, Smoking only fit Lingerie, the Vast Texas cornfields of the Sun entering with a profusion of curls Fine Blonde haired and Vertigo Meg Ryan's beauty. entitled to the pinch of nudity both Meg & Gwynelth some few minutes.. Great acting, Awesome Screenplay , marvelousy Dennis Quaid's performance, and Gwynelth 's incredible Debut and Finest James Caan's in a Haunting. A lost 90's GEM Steve Kloves Masterpiece ,is a pity, A Worthy Oscar-Movie. But Meg Ryan,honestly, SHE glittered! HER SMILE is like a Sunlight into a cloudy and mourneth lands.

I thought the performances were very good, but not good enough to overcome some gaping plot holes in this film.First, why is Roy shadowing his son after all these years? We are told that he just needs Arlis to attend to his birdshot wounds. But he had been standing outside Arlis' motel room the night before. Why didn't he have Ginnie knock on the door instead of leaving a cigar butt, and waiting a good long while before getting the treatment he no doubt needed? It seemed to me that by the time he finally got around to getting Arlis into that car, his wounds would have healed over.Second, why did Arlis get into a car with a broad that he already knew was a con artist? Third, as has been noted, why would Roy care that Kay was still alive? Everyone had forgotten the murders - she knew nothing, and could prove nothing.Fourth, why did Roy have Ginnie lure Arlis to the house where he planned to kill Kay? It would have made sense if he planned to kill both of them, but he didn't need Arlis there to kill Kay. Caan would have had to play Roy as a psycho that wanted to kill Kay in front of Arlis rather than just a sociopath who wanted to tie up loose ends.

This film reminded me of a combination of the work of two other people in film-making history:the haunting beauty of Terance Malick's DAYS OF HEAVEN with the sweeping cinematography and tense pacing, and that of HITCHCOCK's thrillers. The feeling of something similar to a pit- in-your-stomach something-bad's-gotta-happen keeps you glued to each scene because every shot, every glance unfolds like a great novel...uncertainty at each turn.The chemistry with the actors is visceral as well as the painful portrayal of someone so shut down, so emotionally guarded as Quaid plays it, is heartbreaking to watch. Highly recommend you go back and rent this one if you enjoy psychological thrillers. It also gave me a renewed respect for Ryan's capabilities as an actor.

Perhaps some people only want to see Meg Ryan in romantic comedies, or perhaps IMDb voters give this a low average rating because 'nothing happens', but look beneath the surface and you will find a dark and haunting drama of the first order, with the best work from all involved for many years before or since.Steve Kloves, completely 'miscast' as the adaptive screenwriter for the Harry Potter films (he writes in American, for heaven's sake) here produces a great original work as a writer/director, utilizing some amazing visuals from Phillipe Rousselot (d.o.p.) and music from Thomas Newman (a score suitably subtle, haunting and moving). Caan, Ryan and a pre-fame Gwyneth Paltrow are all on top form but the real star here is Dennis Quaid, whose face, a canvas of tortured memories and struggling decency, says more than Kloves could ever hope to write. As director he chooses wisely; he gives Quaid a single line, then keeps the camera rolling.