I had put off watching this movie because I knew it was about a recently released pedophile, and well, despite critical acclaim you just aren’t always in the mood for that type of story. How surprising to fall in love with this movie from the first couple of scenes. I found it similar in tone and plot (somewhat) to American Beauty – that kind of “secrets behind suburban doors” story with a touch of tragedy and a touch of humor. What makes the film so compelling are the incredibly defined and well-acted characters – there were so many little gems of “reality” tossed into the story that at times it becomes too achingly real (like Winslet telling her daughter to “just pee in the pool”). I can’t wait for the next Todd Field picture to come along as he has delivered two of the best American films of the last decade.