ever read jim thompson . he hard boil noir with the most extreme fatalism and misanthropy i have ever encounter . there be rarely private detective in his work just loser and psychotic and small time con artist . this film have thompson nail if god make any real mistake in this world and it be in give u a will to live when we have get no excuse for it . every character in the film balance on a razor edge between surreal and creepy realism . there sleazy and connive uncle bud and play by bruce dern and spookily well intentioned doc goldman play by george dickerson . jason patric give a wonderful and often heart wrench performance a kid collins and a none too bright and shy ex fighter who more scared of himself than of anyone else . rachel ward be fay and the sexy femme fatale who we can not quite figure out . it not your standard film noir and nor be it intend to be . after dark my sweet and along with the grifter and be two excellent adaptation of novel by one of my favorite writer and jim thompson .