Nailed

This movie starts slowly but becomes quite engaging. It tackles the difficult question facing many expecting, but unwed couples -- abortion or not. Brad Rowe is excellent as the somewhat free-spirited son of a "traditional" family. Rachel Blanchard is outstanding as the "new age hippie chick" from a very broken home. Harvey Keitel is good as the frustrated father who sees his son in trouble, but can't do anything to help him -- because the son doesn't want his help. As the movie goes on the character development is quite good and I found myself genuinely interested in all of them. The movie is well-written and well-acted. I recommend it.

I just watched this movie (12 years after its release) because I am focusing on Harvey Keitel and his performances throughout his career. I believe it is his best.

I agree that Brad Rowe's character was underdeveloped; I couldn't understand his motivation (or lack of) for any of his life-choices. Regardless... the movie was about dysfunction, and I can't believe none of the other reviewers commented on that. I hit me square in the face.

Yes, the main character assigned the title "dysfunction" in this movie has emotional issues. That is clear. But, what kind of father rants and raves when his grown son doesn't act according to his own plans for that son? What kind of father promises love and devotion, then takes it away, then gives it back again, then takes it away again, then gives it back again?

What kind of father yells and calls his grown son names, flies across the country and shows up unannounced to visit his son and "inspect" his future daughter-in-law under the pretension of wanting to "get to know her"... without letting his wife know he has gone until he returns at the end of the day? What kind of father (or family) belittles a potential new addition to their family before meeting her, then makes judgments and issues condemnations of that person because she doesn't behave according to their own expectations?

A dysfunctional, tyrannical, paranoid, self-absorbed father (and family)... that is who!

There is no better way to make a person feel like an outsider than to whisper negative and snide comments about them behind their back. I don't blame Rachael Blanchard's character for flinching when her potential mother-in-law reaches out to touch her; she's not sure she's in "safe" territory.

And, her adult fiancé is unable defend his position against his family's pressures and emotional manipulation. He's absolutely ineffective. I was sad about her poor decision to leave her child with such a family.

This movie is not about "how to be a father"... it is about how NOT to be father! That no one else picks up on this is what's wrong with society today.

Again... Harvey Keitels performance was his best. He made me hate his character, and glad I am not part of a family like his!

There isn't too much in this film that rings true, although first-time director/writer Joel Silverman seems intent on selling this as some sort of reality drama. A young, good-looking kid from the right side of the tracks moves to LA to become a screenwriter and has a quickie affair with a dysfunctional bimbo from the wrong side of the tracks (apparently, he has some sort of weakness for fallen angels...oh yeah!). She ends up pregnant and he ends up with a sad case of paternal instinct (to the utter dismay of his Pop, Mom and the rest of the siblings). It all leads to inane revelations by everyone involved and becomes some sort of modern treatise on the joys of child rearin'. This is a movie that Rosie O'Donnell would surely love! Given the money and the cast, just about any literate, wannabe filmmaker could write and direct a better family drama than this one. Dubiously dumb!

I was able to see this movie at the L.A. Film festival on 4-22-01. This was a very moving story that left many in the audience with tears. I heard this young writer say that this was the first movie that he directed. He did a great job and I look forward to seeoing many more works by this fine young writer. The producers of this movie really did a great job, in choosing the director and keeping the flow of the film. the actor that played the young father was fantastic. I also liked the young black girl that was on the beach, she made a sad few lines seem so real.

I have no idea whatsoever why but I actually liked the film- not at all how it's described on the box. Brad Rowe plays the son of Harvey Keitel, an Italian-American success story and mom Mary Kay Place, a typical Jewish mother. The lead girl in the film I had seen on recent episodes of "Seventh Heaven". But this movie explores areas of life that just aren't explored in too many films, if any. That is the need for a man to become a father. All the time in films it is explored the need for women to become mothers, but the men are treated as if fatherhood is not for them. Myself, I personally have no wish to ever become a dad, but that's not to say there aren't women who have no desire to ever become a mother. But this was certainly an interesting film with an interesting concept. Well done.