This movie could have been much better. It was understated and cerebral, reminded me a bit of the feel of Nightcrawler or Mr. Brooks at first, so I was on the edge of my seat waiting for something to escalate or some mystery to be uncovered; kept waiting, kept waiting... Add to the 'never takes off' element is the unbelievable underlying plot for the entire movie of a twenty year old male released from prison who hooks up with a cute teen who is desperate for him... and he doesn't go for her? Thereis no sense of humanity or anything interesting in the boys personality but she ultimately professes her love for him? Why? He is good looking, but bland and anti-social. Also the unbelievable plot component of cops supporting Crowe's stalking and attempting to entrap the boy antagonist, although Crowe is a retired cop. This movie should be re-done and deviate from the book I guess so something interesting happens, the boy has a personality, Crowe's quest is believable...anything really.

Russell Crowe as a detective who is living somewhat in limbo. He has an instinct Eric Komenko, a juvenile who killed his parents may kill again. So he follows him through a void of nameless suburbs in upstate New York.The character of Lori, a disaffected teen who tags along with Eric. At first we aren't aware of her psychological motivation.There is a connection Lori has to Eric, the actress portraying Lori is particularly affecting, she likes Eric, but he is interested in Maria, a girl he met in prison. Lori is a tragic figure, trapped and insecure. Wanting "out" but not sure how to change her life.Eric is in his own way trapped from his past actions.And Russell Crowe is very realistic here,an older retired detective, his wife is critically ill and this is sort of a final mission he feels he should complete.The film is a bit slow but psychologically interesting. Crowe is out of character, and does well here as an 'everyman' trying to accomplish one possibly meaningful thing in his dead-end career.Mysterious and ephemeral ending, but recommended.

I had high expectations for this film, reasons contributing include a leading role by Russell Crowe, a relatively high rating on IMDb and predominately positive reviews. Maybe the reason I'm scoring this 5/10 isn't because it was bad, but rather it did not live up to expectations.The beginning was good, as it introduced the characters well and left me wanting to see how the story developed. However, I believe the plot was average, in that it had much more potential, and Russell Crowes character was not utilised as much as it could've been. Of the three main characters, he appears the least. The ending in my eyes was a little predictable, but maybe that's just because I'm a film buff. Despite being a little too predictable, the ending did saviour some respect for this film. Overall, a slow paced film with which very little happens, which in a way makes you more likely to want to see the film through, as you anticipate something might happen. Not something to watch on a film night with family or friends, but rather a quick 90 minute film to pass the time by yourself.

...and "Tenderness," the very talented director, John "FlashForward" Polson and equally talented writer, Emil "The Life Before Her Eyes" Stern, have crafted a fine adaptation of Robert "The Chocolate War" Cormier's novel that manages to remain true to the source despite certain alterations. I base this on secondhand references, not having read Cormier's book, but have been motivated to put it on order at my library solely on the basis of this film. That's how good it is.[11.11.11 edit: library copy summarily read; some details are changed, but the core story remains essentially the same. The changes to the cop were obviously to get Crowe on board, and to the final climax of the plot to accommodate audience expectations. A decent, quick read]Although Russell "Romper Stomper" Crowe gets top billing (an obvious move to gain an audience), his supporting role of persistent cop is really that of a framework voice-over, and his performance is competent enough, even if any of dozens of "lesser" actors could have assayed the character perfectly well; the story truly belongs to Jon "my older brother is better known" Foster as a young sociopath recently released from prison for the murder of his parents, and Sophie "still learning the business" Traub as the troubled teen who imagines she's in love with him. Both fledgling actors more than hold their own against Crowe by forming a relationship that both intrigues and mystifies its audience; check out Traub's spot-on expressions in scene after scene, or those on Foster as he seeks to restrain inner demons. I suspect the book does a better job of explication of motive, but the themes of isolation and yearning that run through the film are compelling enough to carry the story forward to its bittersweet conclusion."Tenderness" is nicely lensed by longtime Clint Eastwood collaborator, Tom "I've worked with his daughter, too" Stern, and moodily scored by television workhorse, Jonathan "I'm not the guy who sells beer" Goldsmith. Shot in and around Buffalo, NY, the film sports an anywhere vibe that overrides the specificity of its setting, emphasizing the universality of its themes. All in all, a fine piece of indie filmmaking. Highly recommended to all devotees of quality under-the-radar movies.