What have I gotten myself into?
Jennifer Jason Leigh is not that cute teenager from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". I forget how many years ago that was. Someone in the movie comments that Lee looks younger than her age, but I think she looks her age. In some scenes she makes an effort to look good, but really her looks aren't that important since she has such an appealing personality. When she's not depressing. Even in those other scenes, I eventually adjust because Leigh does such a good job overall. She gives us quite a range of emotions and feelings, from nearly helpless or mentally incapacitated to troubled and confused to very confident, though I'm happiest when she's pleasant and funny. Yes, this is occasionally a romantic comedy.
Martin Henderson effectively shows us two very different characters.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste makes an excellent therapist. I would have been happier if the camera operator could have stayed still in her scenes.
I was very surprised to see Meat Loaf in the credits. I don't care for the singer at all, but I knew the actor playing Sgt. Goodman did a good job, but I never suspected, even though I had seen the name earlier, that it was him.
Alia Shawkat does a good job too as the troubled daughter.
Also, we get to see Lee at work in Somalia with her translator. I'm going to guess her name is Hawa, from looking at the credits, but I didn't get her name from watching. Actually, I'd like to have seen more of these scenes.
If the back and forth isn't confusing enough, some scenes are repeated, with some missing detail included on the second, third or fourth time. And when I realized what was happening, I thought what a shame. I was enjoying the scenes from the past.
Overall, this is worth seeing, if you're willing to be challenged.
