Definitley not a film you watch on a regular basis that's for sure. The fact Director Gregg Araki even got this made back in 2004 is crazy.
Brave performances from Joesph Gordon Levitt (I say it's a top 3 performance from him) and Brady Corbet, especially Gordon Levitt especially that rape scene near the end must have been brutal to do. What ever happened to Michelle Trachtenberg, remember her from Buffy and also Euro Trip (made the same year as this), she was good in this but she's kind of stuck to teen films or Young Adults until she faded out of the acting scene around 2014. Ballsy performance from Bill Sage as the coach too, not many actors would be touching that role with what it demands. Mary Lynn Rajskub as Avalyn was also good.
The ending is just heartbreaking probably Corbet's best piece of acting in the film. Neil's character was living on the edge throughout the film so sadly what happened to him near the end wasn't shocking. But poor Brian was just this innocent guy who's life was ruined by that one night, and probably one of the reasons he hates his dad as he didn't pick him up that night. My favourite Gregg Araki film who films can be very hit and miss but I think the fact it's coming from a book and he's not working from something original helps it. It's definitely not a easy film to sit through but it's worth a watch once.
9/10
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