This could have been a great movie. The subject could have been
mind-bending. But the story gets silly, and the filmmakers' reach
exceeds their grasp by far too large a margin. It is a somewhat
useful reminder of how what one thinks is going on (in this case,
"de-programming" a "cult" member) is often not really what's going on
(adolescent rebellion, dysfunctional families, abusive relationships,
opportunism, mid-life crises, and implausible wish-fulfillment). But
it doesn't really work, and unlike Campion's far more accomplished
"In the Cut," one cannot grant this film enough slack in order to let
it work.
