Evelyn

After years of seeing Pierce Brosnan play roles depicting him as the suave ladies man, I was skeptical when we picked this up in the video store and read the premise. I am not a Bond fan and I always considered Brosnan a lightweight actor.

Much to my surprise, Brosnan was dead on in his portrayal of an uncultured, heavy-drinking but loving father, who has his children taken away. It was obvious that he was very passionate about the role, and seemed to be on a mission to prove his mettle as a serious actor.

This is a very atypical movie, not really fitting into any of the usual, predictable genres. It has its funny moments, but it is mostly sobering and heart-wrenching. Aidan Quinn, Julianna Margulies (formerly of ER) and the little girl who plays Evelyn head an impressive supporting cast.

Those who require explosions and car chases need not bother with this one, but if you enjoy an intelligent, touching human drama, you will be in for an unexpected treat.