I wasn't sure what to expect here, with little introduction to this title. As it turns out this is a surprisingly ambitious piece of filmmaking that almost chews what it bites off. At two-and-a-half hours it's much longer than it needs to be, but it delivers a carload of interesting ideas (perhaps a few too many),sincere performances by likeable actors and effective moments. Nice filmwork and score.

I'm not usually the first reviewer of any particular film, so I want to stress that this is a real review by an independent party - not one of those hopeless first responders who knows somebody involved with the production.