I saw this available on Netflix a little while back, and it looked to me like one of those countless direct-to-demand B-movie releases, but this film actually turned out quite good.

Wes Bentley, who I read had taken an absence from acting due to a drug habit, returns to acting as a family man and insurance claim investigator, who upon losing his job turns to a life of crime. He befriends a detective played by Jason Isaacs ("The Patriot"), who I had to look up to remind myself who he is. He is quite good in this as well- gives a very subtle performance as a flawed, yet decent man, trying to do the right thing in a world that makes that difficult.

Now I will say this about this film. Possible *SPOILER*. I actually expected much greater catastrophe than what actually ends up going down, and thought that maybe the director should have went down that path a little more, but overall, I enjoyed this film. If you're expecting an action-packed thriller, this is not the film for you- it's much slower- moving and more thoughtful. And kudos for a nice return-to-acting performance from Wes Bentley- I always liked his style; especially the way he can be so powerful with the expressions in his eyes. I've noticed this about him ever since his breakout performance in the 1999 Oscar winner, "American Beauty". Vinessa Shaw and Keith Carradine co-star.

Bill Scanlon (Wes Bentley) is an overly honest insurance adjuster who just wants to provide for his wife (Vinessa Shaw) and two children. His dad was a policeman and he doesn't see eye to eye with his father-in-law. Fifteen minutes into the film we discover...or if you read the by-lines (PLOT SPOILER) he has been layed off and can't find a job. He has been lying to his wife about his situation.

Bill becomes an unlikely second story man, and while it pays the bills, he is really awkward at it. He has befriended a policeman (Jason Isaacs) who knew his father which complicates things.

The problem I had with the film, and why others may like it, was the dry unrealistic character of the main actor. He was overly honest without being religious. His ignorance of pool maintenance was inane. The crime scenes lacked any real excitement, as this was a character study of someone who wasn't close to being real.

If you want an action or crime film, go elsewhere. This production was a winner at the Deauville Film Festival, so maybe it's just me. I couldn't wait for it to end.

Guide: F-bomb, sex, butt nudity (Wes Bentley)

It's a very difficult movie to sell. Our main character is not really that likable, with some traits that a Hollywood Blockbuster would attribute to its bad guy. But this is not a Hollywood movie, so if you're looking for senseless entertainment, you'd be better off looking somewhere else for that.

No this is a character study, which is well played by Wes Bentley. Even though he seems to be pigeonholed into this sort of a role, you still cannot deny his charisma and his power to portray men in despair. His looks/face alone is worth a lot. But him alone is not enough, you need someone like Jason Isaacs to balance all that stuff. Another man with issues of his own, these two men seem to find each other, even without looking. The "friendship" that ensues is not one that seems to have long lasting power though ... but you'll have to watch the movie, to see how that drama and web of lies unfolds ...