The cinematography in Backgammon is beautifully done, contrasting quaint yet eerie exterior shots with intimate looks into the characters Miranda and Lucien.

The personalities of these characters perfectly balance one another as the plot delves into unsettling and unpredictable territory. Brittany Allen is wonderful as Miranda - cute, yet crazy, while Noah Silver plays a grounded, unpretentious ivy-league chap.

The music, when present, creates a mood that is introspective and peaceful, but when absent we're provided with raw dialogue that really makes the conflicts of personalities come to front.

OK, I have a theatre minor, and this is the first thing that struck me: college project. For that it gets at least an 8. For a movie - a 4 because there are so many worse. The whole thing could have been presented on a set. Overacted, weak scripted, a good "effort" for a grade in school. The story is pointless, just a character study by actors who hammer home their scripted characters hard enough to make sure the professor gets it. "Didja see how nutty I am?" Here, I'll do it again - bigger! Characters are introduced and just fade out without reason. It's basically a two person performance for the audience.

A jumble of loosely related characters spending some time in a huge mansion which, itself, had more character and could have been the subject of the movie. They all fade away without any real justification, leaving the two: an introverted, but smart kid who sees how crazy the other is, but he's attracted by the extroverted wild girl. Problem, I just don't believe his justification. I get more that he knows she's at least two screws loose, but can't walk (or run) away. There's no emotion behind his attraction. So many better out there.

A group of friends are staying in a beautiful house, near the ocean in Maine. There is a fight between the house owner and her boyfriend and left; the other couple's girl starts feeling jealous and also left. Sudden the female owner and the other couples male are alone in the house.

An erotic game of seduction starts; the surroundings, the music and cinematography are outstanding but what is happening and why ?.

As interesting as things become; when the game reaches boiling point the director shy away and resolves the mystery in a couple of scenes.

Sadly the movie is predictable to the whatever is happening comes at no surprise.

It is really a pity because the two leads are very good as is the whole technical aspects; but for some reason the makers of the movie were afraid to dare a little more.