Rosario Dawson Movie:

		List Price: $9.98		Label: Lions Gate Salesrank: 41741 Released: February 18, 2003
		Our Price: $8.77
		Used Price: $0.81
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Ash Wednesday Reviews:
F this F that
2009-11-18 - If you love the F word, you may like this movie, but if you are like me and cringe, and think that kind of trash talk belongs in a trailer park. This is the first time i am throwing away a move after watching it one time. It was just CONSTANT F words to no end. Add to that a beginning that leave you confused as to what is going on and who are the names (in between the F words) they are. Could have been a very good movie.

Special Features
2009-09-22 - Having seen this movie in theaters, I'm wondering what special features besides the commentary might be on the DVD. Thanks, Donna

Un-bleeping believable! Very intense drama.
2008-10-08 - This movie has kept me awake for several nights now. Its disturbing and taut nature, the very real language of the guys from that area, and the Greek tragedy set in a realistic "modern" (1980's) situation had me staying awake all night watching this film and identifying strongly with the characters, in spite of a drastically different background. Since seeing this, it's been a struggle to distance myself. I was strongly reminded of my fellow construction workers in NY a little over 20 years ago, to whom I was a "little southern belle" outsider while working as a geologist on a drill rig w/ working class guys of Irish descent (who viewed me as a sort of Martian who'd landed amongst them, but kindly treated me like a sister). The macho but straight-talking guys I worked with sounded just like the characters in the movie, and for those w/ tender ears who objected to the "f" word so often, I have to say I didn't even notice it until I read the reviews. I do sympathize a very wee bit with those with scorched ears - the culture shock I experienced 20 years ago was profound, when I found that the word was used as simply a spacer or to add very slight emphasis to what was said, as in "Time for another f'ing auger." or, "Hey, you got a f'ing cigarette?", with no malice or impatience intended. Since I told the guys I worked with not to censor themselves on my account, I picked up the habit quickly myself for a time. So just f'ing get over it. This is a great movie!

The ashes on the forehead brought back memories of my Catholic school, when even a Prod like myself was encouraged to go to mass and be marked w/ the ashes, and we didn't wash them off all day long. For the students, it was a contest to see whose would stay on the longest that day. It was a little bizarre to see the characters plan various grave mortal sins while still wearing the ashes, but the strong religious beliefs in the middle of a violent society made it perfectly understandably why the more sheltered brother would go straight to the priest for confession and not necessarily just for help.

BTW - I think the score adds tremendously to the heart-breaking feeling of imminent doom for the flawed characters you've come to like. It adds to the feeling that it's just a matter of which one will get hit and how. The score resembles Philip Glass' work somewhat in its repetition of a haunting theme with great effect. The ending of the movie w/ a rough-edged version of "Be Thou My Vision", one of my favorite old (Irish) hymns of all time, was brilliant if you know the lyrics - e.g.,"...Be Thou my Battle Shield, Sword for the fight...". Time-travel '80's pieces by Triumph, the Scorpions, and Lynyrd Skynyrd on the jukebox helped as well. The themes of atonement, betrayal, loyalty, sacrifice, and fate are all interestingly and well-addressed in this film.

I just hate that Burns is already hooked up w/ a freakin' supermodel. There go my daydreams.

Gets a little interesting toward the end
2006-08-20 - The first half of this movie, Ed Burns' character, has everyone asking him if his brother is alive, who was supposed to have been dead for 3 years, and he denies this. The second half everyone finds out his brother is alive and the mob is after him for killing 3 of their mob members.If you can get past the first half of the movie (had to skip a chapter or 2), it gets a little more interesting. All in all it moves at a snail's pace.

Unengaging,
2005-09-07 - When I read the synopsis on hbo one night and saw that it would be on shortly, I was more than looking forward to seeing it. I'm a huge fan of good cinema and of everything Irish. Almost immediately into the film it was clear it was a let down. Two medicore performances from the main characters heavily contributed to this. Just not belivable. At some points I felt like I was watching a novice scene being played out in an acting school. Wood really stunk and was actually annoying, and Burn's nonchalant approach might have been to nonchalant. Lackluster performances aside I kinda liked the story Idea. I think the movie could have had some potential, given it was handed over to some writers/directors with a little more potential than Burns. The high point of the movie may be it's cinematogrophy. This one's worth skipping.