Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Patience Watson One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

mbat19 Elijah wood plays a college student who after dropping out after his first day, moves into an apt building. He soon envelops his life in the lives of a few of the residents, including a photographer, Famke Potente and a self absorbed actress (redundant?) Mandy Moore. While he tries to figure out his life, a car crash makes him focus and do a reality check. The movie is a nice slice of life coming of age film but it seems that there is no there there. The acting is OK and the story is OK but slow. In the end it seems like the movie just sits there and doesn't really say anything that the viewer wants to hear.if you are a fan of the actors it is a passable way to waste a hour or so, but they have done better

Iron_Martyr I haven't said there are spoilers, because there is absolutely nothing you could call a twist. But if you haven't seen it, read this then DO! I think this is one of the best coming-of-age comedies there will ever be. Not because it was completely hilarious, but just because the content was honest, realistic and held many excellent performances. It starts with the very dreamy (in the out-of-it sense, though he is pretty fit) Elijah Wood (Jones Dillon, DON'T call him Frodo =D) turning up at collage and promptly deciding, 'f*** this, I'm out.' and simply leaving. It sounds ridiculous, but for some reason it just made sense. No-one noticed, especially not his parents, but we don't know that yet. He shacks up at this rather insane little building of flats, handing over $12,000 without a second thought and buying a load of furniture. I know some people are thoroughly annoyed by films that have no direction, and my fellow watcher said they were waiting for something to happen. But I think this movie just had so many perfect little events and witticisms that it did not matter in the slightest. My favourite scene is probably when the highly unpleasant sons of his over-flirtatious furniture-seller turn up and, instead of delivering his furniture begin to chuck it onto the sidewalk. Then, his gay (as yet unbeknown to us) cowboy downstairs-neighbour comes out with a huge gun as tells them in so many words that if they don't put down the furniture and p**s off, he'll blow off their man-hoods.All in all, there is drama without soap-opera, comedy without smut and one of the most unplaceable accents in the history of cinema. It is sweet and adult at the same time, with enough angst not to be, you know, teen-angsty and the most corn-free family issues you could wish for. Also, his imagination plays part from time to time, delivering nude art teachers, bagel-delivering belly dancers and a bazooka for blowing away people who p**s him off. His character is very edgy, one second he's this adorably vulnerable little thing, the next he's a smoking, gun-toting revenge-wrecker. (Not to be taken utterly literally). You couldn't predict a single word his character is going to say, it's really strange. He arches from miserable little-boy-lost to independent risk-taker, it's a joy to see. Rigt at the end, I was so sure the movie would be unique in, the girl of his dreams gets away, and DOESN'T come to her senses. I really did, and I thought it was great. But it didn't matter. I failed to understand why she went back to the guitar-player, leather clad love-rat anyway. I really went off her, she sleeps with him when he's driving her up to the city (to her love-rat) as she's broken her leg, then acts like he's being the one in the wrong when he tells her it wasn't nothing and she shouldn't be doing this. DUH! How stupid are some women?! Ah well, it's all good in the end.I have just one qualm, during the photo-shoot scene when she's telling him about herself and vice-versa, I swear her shirt changes! One minute, it's a black vest with a long sleeved net thing under it, then it's not netting, its see-through shiny stuff. The it changes back. It's not the light, thank you! I swear it isn't. Any thoughts, anyone? Anyway, 10/10!! Loved it a lot, and Elijah Wood is really hot! Never noticed before!

countrugensmom I could not have enjoyed this movie more. To watch a young man of great intelligence and humor but woefully lacking in social graces find his place in the world was a joy. The coming of age angst was a trip down memory lane for me. I related to way too much of the film for my own comfort. The apartment building and it's eclectic band of residents left me wondering, "Are there any vacancies?" Seeing Jones' journey into manhood was a priceless trip. As he faces his demons and the failings in those around him he begins to discover the meaning of his life. His practicing of opening the wine bottles was hilarious. Who here hasn't practiced looking cool? Honestly? I have and his journey rang true. Elijah Wood is a truly gifted man. Once again he has become his character. Mandy Moore impressed me yet again in her fearless acceptance of roles that make her look like an idiot. The entire cast was well chosen. Let me take this opportunity to mention that the scene where Jones loses his virginity is the hottest love scene I've witnessed since Mel Gibson and Piper Laurie's love scene in Tim. and that's saying something. I'm not sure what...but it's something. Very hot.

Cipher-J This is a very sensitive and original `coming of age' film, centered around a seventeen-year-old boy seeking to find meaning in his life. His mom had been, in her youth, a self-absorbed, dope-smoking and thrill-seeking Bohemian, who fell for an equally superficial and pretentious pseudo-intellectual of the writer variety, and by the time he went out for a pack of cigarettes never to return, she had found herself pregnant. That would have been the end of her story had mom been a pauper, but her family had money, so by the time the story opens the son had been shuttled around through every prep-school in the country. He never knew his father, and what he knew about his mother was that she never grew up.What little his mother would say about his father were myths, which he clings to desperately in this story. Had his father `really' been a writer? All he has for proof is an old typewriter, on which he tries to write letters to his father that are never mailed. The whereabouts of the father are not known. Estranged and alienated from his parents, he ends up in an apartment where he can begin to find himself through associations with others who have complicated stories of their own to share. Not surprisingly, he falls in love with an older woman who is much like his mother: self-absorbed and addicted to dysfunctional relationships. Almost as though to redeem his mother through the woman, he tries to prove himself the better man to her, in contrast to the slick and quick former boyfriend, with his leather clothes and hot guitar. He is a nice guy that wants to finish better, not last. It is a very mature and well-crafted story.