• It’s a family portrait with a bittersweet tone that is in the archives largely on the basis of the two performances from Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio
  • The rest of the ensemble is strong as well- John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, Mary Streenburgen and Darlene Cates— Juliette Lewis is just about the biggest thing in 1993—Cape Fear in 1991, Husbands and Wives in 1992 and then this and in 1994 Natural Born Killers– an amazing run
  • DiCaprio got the Academy Award nomination and helped make a name for himself here along with This Boy’s Life in 1993—his coming out party. It’s easy to downgrade it now, 25 years later, as another one of these My Left Foot or Rain Man performances that were so populate from about 1988-2002 but the skill involved in the acting is undeniable. He nails every nuance, squeal and tic—it’s a great performance and plays tribute to the character— apparently he went method- refusing to take a bath like his character
  • Not to be outdone playing the “Tom Cruise in Rain Man” straighter performance here- Depp deserves much credit for keeping the film afloat (DiCaprio isn’t in much of it) in the scenes without Leo and being so utterly fascinating playing such a seemingly unexceptional character- he purposefully uglies himself up, drones on over the voice-over—wanted to be “half asleep” Depp said
  • The abuse scene with the two actors is tough to watch to this day— effective
  • Set in Iowa but shot in Texas
  • Hallstrom is ABBA’s former director- My Life As a Dog–
  • Shockingly it’s shot by Sven Nykvist—one to keep in mind if someone ever says it’s the DP that matters and not the auteur (Bergman)
  • Recommend- not near the top of 1993