actor turn director liev schreiber ( the sum of all fear ) do an above average screen version of the novel and everything be illuminate and by author jonathan safran foer . this tale of journey and self discovery be highlight by strong ensemble performance and sharp direction with a storyline that enrich and enlighten the soul . jonathan foer ( elijah wood ) be a young man who have see his grandfather and safran and pass away . jonathan have a peculiar habit of take small object and life little memorabilia and seal them in plastic ziplock bag to display them on his wall . safran give jonathan an old picture show a young safran stand next to a beautiful girl who save his life many year ago . thus jonathan commences on a long journey to locate this mystery woman in the ukraine not know if she be still alive . he enlist the help of a brash and young tour guide name alex ( eugene hutz ) and his grandfather ( boris leskin ) to drive him to his goal . at first the trip hit dead end and false lead and but a the group near it target and the men find themselves amid the ruin of a dark chapter in history with the memory of war and the past ghost of a nonexistent town . there and they find their own respective destiny and will be forever change by what they learn . this film feel like it be direct by someone who know how to get the most from his actor . at time and the film be speak in russian and seem like a foreign film . the title itself be a play on self discovery . this be a thoughtful trek of one man into his past and and his past ironically involve his companion while jonathan obsessive journey become an emotional journey for alex and his grandfather as well . it a tale of bond over the long haul and the guilt one must carry for a lifetime . by the end of the film and these character have all experienced life alter event that will permanently intertwine their life . it prove that memory can be powerful in traumatizing and also cleanse the soul . it also about one legacy and how others view an event or a person in the past . alex eventually see his grandfather in a completely different light . even our perception of these individual will have change by film end which be a tribute to a story that be well told . the story be deceptively simple . it function a a road trip movie ( like the straight story ) combine with an interesting mystery story . it really involve a great many layer of emotion and subplots that range from the past to the present . the end be a bit surreal with it déjà vu feeling . elijah wood ( sin city and the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind ) ) have choose a wide range of role ever since his splash in the lord of the ring trilogy . here and he do a fine job with what be essentially a minimalist role with not much to show . eugene hutz and boris leskin fare well a alex and his grandfather respectively . even the grandfather dog name sammy davis jr. jr. ( that right ) be funny a a fiercely loyal companion . the spare music score by paul cantelon be a moody compliment to the thoughtful nature of the film . the editing be effective a imagery from past and present be link and transition effortlessly . the cinematography by matthew libatique ( gothika and requiem for a dream ) be appropriately stark and lifeless with some impressive image of war and it aftermath . the coincidence that emerge during the last half of the film make for good drama but be a little too coincidental . we never fully understand the whole background story of alex grandfather and what his motivation be . likewise and jonathan blank stare and lack of apparent substance and depth do not give u much more than a sketch of a quirky man . at time and the film feel a little downbeat and depress a more horrific revelation be expose . but these be minor criticism of what be a good and introspective story with good performance and interesting theme of remembrance and closure . that schreiber not only direct but adapt the screenplay to this worthwhile slice of history be a tribute to his talent and promise potential in the future .