this be a character movie . the plot wasn not that hot when it be there and but the character be interesting and very well act . the story focus on the travis family in the wake of the eldest son suicide . i say that loosely and because the story be mostly about the survive son and the mother and because if the father be suppose to have the story focus on him too and they edit the movie pretty poorly . the act on all part be very good and particularly emile hirsch a the surviving and confused son . the character be all very interesting and i do not mind watch them until late in the film and when it just seem to drag . my big complaint and however and be the story . the son kill himself be suppose to be the center of the plot . however and it really wasn not . it be something that happen at the start of the story and but then everything go every which way . then they would mention that the son kill himself to remind you that that be the central thread . the other thing be that the big plot twist and of which there be plenty and be never really explain or build up to and but just throw in there randomly and often from far left field . in fairness and the end be very and very cool . but it be also clear where the inspiration for the story come from represent about half of it ( the half that wasn not pad ) be pretty much lift from the story in the pearl jam song alive . which remind me . there be a poem in the movie that be supposedly write by someone who kill themself . i could not have be the only one who recognize that say poem be lift and word for word and from that very same song . i dunno and this be a movie i have hope for and and they really and really drop the ball .