Here's a movie that has a Zero Rating at Rotten Tomatoes. It has some tremendously bad acting. The story ends in a way that most viewers seem cheated. Its poorly edited and photographed. But it still worked for me because the idea is so clever that I happily make the leap, completing the movie.Here's the general shape: man is shot and lays dying. He has a vision of girl who he falls in love with, a magical stone causes this. (This is a piece of plaster that falls on him when he is shot.) Its a sweet love story and the magical nature is apt for a movie about an inner movie.But there are two complications that help. One is that our hero is captured and quizzed. Some dreary writing and the roughest parts of the film are associated with this bit. Its the second complication that has a special sparkle. Our girl is an out of work actress who — again magically — gets the starring role as Lulu in a remake of "Pandora's Box." This is perhaps the most sexually charged film of all time: a perfect confluence of actress, svengali filmmaker and the cinematic properties of silent film-making. Its a rather clever fold, yeah? A film about an inner film of love that both references and includes a landmark film. Its being made in Joyce's Dublin by a character played by Vanessa Redgrave.More: our guy is particularly fond of "Singing in the Rain."The fact that the girl in this case is profoundly unsexy and unappealing in most ways deepens the notion for me.It works, if you let it.Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

Sure it was suspenseful. It was fascinating for about 90 minutes until the anthropologist (Defoe) grilled our protagonist (Keitel) about his childhood and his relationship with his brother and father. Then I knew that I had been had! The writer and directors had adopted a staple of the soap operas and TV movies, but instead of just a little dream sequence, the whole thing was a dream sequence. The whole story came crashing down when I realized that the only mystery in the movie was choosing between Keitel imagining this as he lay on the night club floor or laying in the hospital bed. I hate dream sequences. One can do anything with them. People fascinated with this movie after seeing the distasteful ending are deluding themselves. Shame on the director. Go back to the soaps.

I got in one hour after it had started. It starred Harvey Keitel, whom I especially like and wanted to watch it because of him. Then Wilem DaFoe was there also, second reason to continue watching. Then, again, Mandy Patikin, number three great actor. I liked the character Harvey was playing, a soft spoken, quiet man, much different than many of his other characters. It was more like his character in 'The Piano'. I was pulled in and couldn't stop watching. I didn't know what had come before, so couldn't completely understand it, but just had to keep watching. As in a mystery, I thought I knew what was going on and I knew I had to see the entire movie at that point. It's more like a play than a movie, and excellently done. Great cinematography. Great suspense. Stunning finish. Really made me think and feel deeply.

It is unique opportunity to see good American movie. For thinking, not brainless people. I haven't seen for a long time an american movie I wouln't be able to guess the ending. This one really surprised me. I see two parralels to other artists.My first impression - this film has a lot of Krzysztof Kieslowski spirit. I can see the same sadness of loneliness in Mira Sorvino's eyes as in Irene Jacob eyes in "Double life of Veronique". LULU tells the same story - how lonely we are on this planet.Second impression - the movie is similar to "The Sixth Sense" in matter of post mortem life. It's hard to guess what is real, and what is imagination.Great movie for thinking people. Very positive surprise. And Lou Reed as "not Lou Reed" - great joke.