Samuel Bleak

A very interesting and well executed drama. This film is (like the title character himself) a very quiet, deliberate movie. Yet for all of its restraint, the movie packs a whallop emotionally - culminating in an climax that will stick with you for a while.

The cast is top notch. Veteren actors (James Russo, Keith David, and a particularly good Deborah Kara Unger) mesh well with newcomers (Christine Kelly, Carlucci Weyent) and are led by Dustin Dugas Schuetter as Samuel. Schustter delivers a hypnotic performance in the title role - creating a character that expresses more in his silence than most can speaking.

Well acted, well written, and very well directed, "Samuel Bleak" is a pleasant surprise. Well worth a spot in your Netflix cue.