to make up a movie go audience i be certainly stun by the number of positive comment this wretched film have garner here . i can not credit it and can not help but be suspicious and for that matter and of back alley payoff to critic who be tout annette bening for an oscar while the hole in the kitchen ceiling might be more appropriately attribute to her scenery chewing . she a wonderful actress but this be an unfortunately unbalanced performance and lacking that essential quality film actor must master of catch the cadence of the screenplay and maintain it for the duration of the disjointed madness that be a film shoot . i do not really want to blame miss bening or most of the other performer ( well and gwyneth paltrow have no excuse for her muzzy work ) and however and because this be a horrendous adaptation and a classic case of mistranslation ( i be prepared to assume . i haven not read the book and do not think i will after this ) . the script launch u into the middle or muddle of unaccountable behaviour and extreme emotional angst spew from mystify character who have develop relationship neither with u nor each other . it quickly become a grotesquely excessive tsunami like assault that sully character and audience alike and leave me like a survivor shake my head at the detritus leave at the end of each repetitive episode . shock and awe would describe my reaction to frantic and bi polar mood swing between rant and oh so quiet sensitivity and the latter telegraph by one of the most irritating and manipulative and drone soundtrack i have hear that be and when all this isn not be set to ludicrously incongruous toon period stuff and ya know and but choose with an astound disregard for the tone of the scene . how this fine cast get mixed up in this i do not know i can not believe they saw the screenplay before sign . they certainly apply their skill with commitment i felt so sorry for the wonderful jill clayburgh saddle with a cartoon bag lady costume and wig try vainly to wrench something of significance from sketchy and clichéd dialogue . in contrast and somehow and alec baldwin rise above the material to deliver a consistent and nuanced and real performance . can somebody give this man a lead role of substance and please . and how about rachel evan wood or joseph fiennes . you would think the industry could make good use of him and and without appear as hirsute a elliot gould in m. a. s. h. my vote . a standup turd and all right and but no link with heaven .