This is as high as I can rate a show I'm not going to re-watch. There's nothing here that is particularly good.This show has some nice eye candy and very little else. The story is OK but it lacks any real kick to it. I guess it's a must see for the cinematically pretentious.

From the very first scenes of this stylish and Oscar-nominated production, you know you're on a serious journey. It's a labor of love for first-time feature director, Ukrainian born, Canadian, Vadim Perelman. Perelman is also co-writer and producer and himself, no stranger to hard times - having lived through difficult stages with his family during the struggles of their early days. Here, he has taken- on a seriously dramatic subject (based on a best selling book by Andre Dubus 111). It's a story that offers no easy way out for any of its characters – in fact, it's unrelenting in its pathos. It all begins with a simple mistake on part of the tax and revenue dept but, what follows is nothing shy of devastating. The ramifications of this 'slip-up', implode on the lives of several already challenged individuals (with one being a foul-mouthed recovering young alcoholic woman). All have been strangers until the day of this event and nothing could have prepared them for what was coming.Not since Jules Dassin's classic "Phaedra" have I seen such catastrophic tragedy unleashed on screen. There are many moments when you find yourself hoping these events will sort themselves out and that a common thread of rationality - will bring a shared understanding into the lives of these hapless victims. The viewer is left on tender hooks trying to figure out the next twist of fate! The eerie coastal setting is strikingly photographed by the superb Roger Deakins - with an underscoring of music from James Horner adding an emotional high. Performances are crucial in stories of this caliber and everyone gives it their all - with a tour de force from start to finish. Maybe it is, as some have stated, somewhat over the top – that there could have been a point where a lighter result might have been far more agreeable but, how often do we actually learn better ways to achieve resolutions - unless the unthinkable happens? There are many situations and lessons to be analyzed within this work for young and old, but it's certainly a heavy challenge.Powerful to be sure – a classic tragedy brought to life by a sterling cast and crew. Check your emotional meter and be sure you're in the right frame of mind before sitting through this one....

As a bit of warning, this movie is not a feel-good movie. Not in the slightest; the mize-en-scene of this movie is kept at a constant glum and depressing tone thanks to the visuals, the music, and the subject matter. This film hits a lot of heavy scenes that aren't for the faint of heart: Manipulation, financial debt, racism, domestic disputes, police brutality, and murder-suicide. When you get past that, though, you're greeted with a unique and unforgettable experience of a movie. The camera work is absolutely gorgeous in terms of the views we are given and the lighting used, especially in the final scenes of the movie. The actors capture the emotions flying through the air perfectly, and the music is used at the perfect points in order to compliment the imagery to it's fullest potential. The run time is rather long, but there is not a wasted scene in this film as it grips you from start to finish. Just, make sure you have something lighthearted to watch or do after you finish. You're going to need it.

House Of Sand And Fog is an emotional thunderclap in ways you won't see coming, leaving the viewer gutted after a finale that feels spare and detached yet wracked with emotion in the same moment. You feel haunted after witnessing the story unfold, and I was particularly affected by Ben Kingsley's determined, tender performance for days after my viewing of the film. He plays an Iranian man, a proud man who was a Colonel in the air force in his home country, and has been forced to work construction labor jobs in America to support his family, and to keep up the appearances of their lifestyle. When neglected taxes force a troubled woman (Jennifer Connelly) out of the house she grew up in, Kingsley sees an opportunity to buy the the property for a fraction of what it's worth, essentially leaving Connelly homeless. She has a history of alcoholism and instability, and this unfortunate situation really worsens her condition, leading to angry and confrontational behaviour towards Kingsley. He has no ill will towards her, he's simply trying to make a better life for his family whom he loves very much. His wife (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is still very much rooted in Iranian culture, and much of what's going on goes over her head. There's also a cop (Ron Eldard) who strikes up a reckless romance with Connelly and tries to strong arm Kingsley into selling the house back to her, pretty much reasoning with his dick instead of his brain. This is a film that refuses to take a side, showing us unblinking and compassionate views of both people within the conflict, and never lifting a judging eyebrow. It's a sad, sad turn of events and the film wants to show us the tragedy, but it does so with the utmost care, and always has a loving hand in presenting it's two lead characters. Connelly is heartbreaking, showing us the burning humiliation that frays her spirit to the last sinew. Kingsley is flat out brilliant in the kind of performance that holds up for decades to come. He rightly won an Oscar for his galvanizing turn that breaks hearts and opens tear ducts. Ron Eldard is the only piece that doesn't fit, because he's usually not fund in this type of stuff. He's really talented as an offbeat character actor, but just seems out of place here playing it straight, and it also doesn't help that his character is just damn unlikable. Aghdashloo is the third leg of the acting table, and her work earned her an Oscar as well, she is plain superb. Be careful of what mood you're in when you give this one a go, it's pretty devastating. It's also powerful cinema, and a story that could happen to anyone, anywhere in the world, giving us something real to latch onto and connect with.