While this isn't a bad film -- hence the 5/10 rating -- it's best avoided because of an extremely nasty and protracted scene (a beating). That scene went on for far too long and would, I suggest, have been as effective if it had been considerably shorter.

Lou Ford is a deputy sheriff in a small West Texas town and he was sent to investigate a girl named Joyce. He winds up in a sexual relationship with Joyce even though he is engaged to a local girl named Amy. Lou and Joyce decide to kill Joyce's boyfriend, a powerful citizen. Apart from this plan Lou has some different ideas in his mind. The film tells the story of a serial killer and also contains some controversial scenes of violence against women. Affleck's performance as Lou Ford was quite interesting, at the same time he nicely handles the mental and physical behavior of Lou. Even though Jessica and Kate Hudson shares few intimate scenes with Affleck, Both succeed in fascinating the viewers. Overall, the film has some violent scenes and only recommended to those who can handle it.

Not surprising this piece of crap could only recoup less than ten percent of its cost... what is surprising is that it's on IMDBs Top 5000 list Casey Affleck, who is about the same height as Matt Roloff and twenty pounds lighter, and regardless of his successful brother, is both banal as an actor and unconvincing as a Texas sheriff in this celluloid rubbish. Why any actor worth their salt would sign up for this, beggars belief. Not too mention the social can of worms this garbage opens. People keep reminding me it's a seriously intentioned film that addresses male-hate and male violence in the form of a nightmare. How so? What purpose does this film serve? Highlights violence against women? That's pretty clear, but I can read about that everyday in the Washington Post. Depicting graphic violence against women sells tickets? Didn't work in this case. Perhaps if it had been Casey that was getting his face punched to pulp? I might pay to see that. Regarding the director, Winterbottom, he's about as knock-off as they come; an auteur wannabee who can't make up his mind who he wants to steal from - Kiewslowski, Roeg, Antonionii, Kubrick, and so on. So here's his hat tip to Noe and Haneke. Shame he can't hold a candle. A low-rent 'Blood Simple,' without the story, dialogue (although Casey believes he's Emmett Walsh) acting or direction. Thankfully, based on its numbers, not many people actually saw this forgettable film.

a local sheriff is told by his boss to roust this local prostitute in order to gain information from her,, so the sheriff goes over there, and they talk ,, things get heated,, and eventually they start having sex everyday. Doesn't seem like much of a plot,, but this movie is about the mind of someone very disturbed, he is a sheriff by day and psychopath killer by night. Casey Affleck does a good job in the picture as the town sheriff, kate Hudson,, and the sexy Jessica Alba are in the movie as well,, the one thing that is hard to watch is the way the women in the movie are tortured and beaten almost to a bloody pulp,, I guess they didn't need to go that far to get their point across but I guess they had to show just how disturbed our villain was at the time,, a hard watch for some,, but if you're not squeamish then give it a look.