this film easily rival the emotional strength and the dramatic impact and the top notch performance of 12 angry men . i rent it on a whim and be amaze that i have not hear of it before . i do not know if this be emilio estevez directorial debut and but the pacing and the interplay and development of the character as well a the some clever camera work surround the character estevez play all suggest a natural eye . the interplay between martin and emilio contain the same wonderful chemistry we saw in wall street with martin and charlie . kathy bates be wonderful in her character subtle desperation and escapism while a variation on her character in at play in the field of the lord . she be irritate and yet one can empathize with her at the same time . there be some moment where i feel the plot slow a touch and the moment between estevez and his ex girlfriend almost seem write for another film and estevez come off a another character all together . but those be minor complaint . this film must be base on a true story or must have be write by someone who live these experience . i rate it 8 out of a difficult 10 .