4/5 Langella's Schiller hardly seems like acting...until you remember his entirely different outing in Frost/Nixon
  by Andy Orrock (Dallas, TX)
With the exception of a very uncomfortable, reach-for-the-fast-forward button bedroom sequence, we enjoyed this small, intelligent film a great deal. Frank Langella is a hallmark of excellence. His Leonard Schiller hardly seems like acting...until you remember his entirely different outing as Richard Nixon (Frost/Nixon).

Lili Taylor is excellent here, too, as Langella's on-screen daughter Ariel. She's looking beautiful and performing better than ever at 42.

Adrian Lester - haven't thought of him since his turn as Henry Burton in Mike Nichols' adaptation of Joe Klein's Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics. He gives a nice outing here, too. His scenes with Langella are outstanding - the metamorphosis of their relationship is touching and realistic.

5/5 An overwhelming piece of cinema!
  by Ankur Mukherjee
I didn't keep any expectations from this very film. I honestly didn't have any and to my warm surprise I found out this film to be one of the finest drama's of all time. Frank Langella, the more you can say or get to know about him, the lesser it is. It's one of his finest performences that leads completely to perfection, he is simply the pure example of versatality in cinema, you can't take your eyes off him. The sensitivity, the emotions potrayed by him in the film is simply beyond words. Lauren Ambrose was quite good as the curious young student, her flamboyant acting resulted in a good chemistry with Langella. Lily Taylor delivers a decent performence as Langella's daughter. Its not just a film for a viewing pleasure, its something that drags you in each situation, lets you think once or twice. One of the finest cast performences. Give it a look!

4/5 Amazing
  by Stacy E. Sardelli (Milwaukee, WI)
I'm just going to sum this up. This movie made me feel many different emotions. I had no choice but to care about the characters. I was touched by this film and feel the story and cast are magnificent.

5/5 Great performances
  by jayday
An engrossing film about art and the complicated relationship between writing, a writer, and a graduate student writing about the writer.

4/5 Lauren Ambrose and Frank Langella Shine
  by R. Gawlitta (Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA)
I rented this film because I'd heard of Mr. Langella's many awards and nominations for this role. He is certainly as focused and subtle as the character requires, and is most subtly impressive. Equally as impressive is the lovely Lauren Ambrose, the only spark of energy in the film. This is an indie film about damaged characters, and there really isn't a whole lot of new material here, except it's all handled by a bunch of reliable pros. Lili Taylor is always good, but she's become a bit type-cast; a very fine performance by Adrian Lester as her non-committal boyfriend is complete and focused, a difficult role. I'm glad I saw this fine film, but, if I bought it, I doubt it'd be one I'd pull out for repeated viewings. It's interesting that this year's Oscar nominations include Langella, in a powerhouse role, and Richard Jenkins in a subtle role, similar to Mr. Langella's in "Starting Out in the Evening".