Hollywood will rave about this movie, and the acting does deserve a lot of acclaim. The plot, however, is lacking, in that you keep watching and waiting for some dynamic change to occur, only to realize in the end that these static characters are stuck in a miserable existence. It is depressing to watch people who seek happiness in their external circumstances rather than finding true inner peace and joy. It's worth watching on video (if you like that "American Beauty" type of movie), but I wouldn't waste the extra money to see it at the theater.