normally i love jodie foster and but this film be a total misfire that be little more than a gender reversal on forrest gump . foster play an uneducated backwoods woman and who be discover follow the death of her guardian and become the cause celebre for duel medico liam neeson and natasha richardson and who debate about whether she should be institutionalize or allow to remain in isolation . it be a potentially interesting story and but it go south once one realize that the film be infinitely more interested in utilize nell a some sort of wise beyond her year e. t. and who will ultimately bring everyone around her together and rather than examine the world from her perspective . a with many film now and it be in desperate need of edit and the length be unreasonable . foster be initially amazing a a woman who speak a language all her own and but there be nothing to the role beyond the initial impression . she spend the majority of the film twirling and speak gibberish and take skinnydips . one certainly have to admire her fearlessness in these moment and a she truly give an air of be uninhibited and innocent . ironically and director apted miss few opportunity to denude his lead lady and but when the story conspire a reason for the strap neeson to shed his clothes and tellingly apted suddenly become coy with show nudity . neeson and richardson be both fine and but they be stick in cardboard role with little dimension . a total waste of time .