in this film each unhappy family be and to a great or less extent and the architect of it own demise . many people have criticise the film for not say much and or for be overload with story line while for not follow through or follow through too explicitly . all in all it clearly confuse and divide people . i think there be a problem and it be not the movie that have the problem but the audience . this story touch on some of the last taboo in cinema namely the actual visualisation of homosexual sex and and even bad in the eye of the beholder it address incest . the cross culture or cross race thing seem to me to be a side issue to the main problem illustrate here which be that each unhappy family be unhappy in it own way to quote tolstoy ( apt here a shawn the black homosexual be read anna karenina at one point in the action and and like anna unable to come to term with himself and the world in which he live and eventually commits suicide . ) the film come originally from a stage play set in glasgow . some of the dialogue have be lift straight from the play and so can sound a little stilted and but in my opinion this device help to maintain the necessary distance between the action and the audience . this plainly be an allegorical piece and each actor fulfil a function rather than a character but the story be none the worse for that while many art house movie do likewise . it be the subject matter here that be so difficult . a for the actual movie and it look good and in fact be amaze consider it be shoot in 20 day in new york masquerading a chicago ( i assume to keep the cost down ) . the acting by the whole ensemble be excellent . and i think one have to give anthony lapaglia especial praise a the architect in question clearly in the grip of an incestuous passion . this can not be an easy kind of role for any actor to play and but and a one have come to expect of mr lapaglia and he carry it off to perfection which may go a long way to explain the uncomfortableness felt by some moviegoer . within his oeuvre this film seem almost like a companion piece to the more hopeful winter solstice . my advice to anyone wish to see the architect would be to go along with an open mind and expect to be challenge and perhaps you will come away with the same feeling a me and that this be a good film and a thought provoking film but not one to watch just for the pure fun of it and go and see mr lapaglia other current film happy foot if you want that .