Casey Affleck (Ben Affleck's younger brother) delivers a stunning performance as a psychopathic deputy sheriff; when his charming and well mannered guy appearance disappears the audience's shown violence both "ordinary" and of sexual kind. There's absolutely nothing voyeuristic in these scenes, difficult to see though they might be, on the contrary they're the moments where the movie really gets to make an impact on the viewers. The narrative's very gripping and Winterbottom's story manages to strongly connect on an emotional level. All the characters appear to have a "proximity" to the audience. On the whole the film always makes a strong impact and keeps the noir atmosphere required, furthermore its ability to shock is the key for being truthful and compelling.
