Joseph FiennesLeo

The reviews say that this film is about a man in prison who has a young pen pal named Leo. The prisoner in reality, is the victim of a series of tragic occurrences as a child. His stay in prison is the result of his correctly, doing the "right thing to do". He creates a journal of his thoughts as a young boy, "Leo", and contrasts them to who he is now as an adult in prison. These letters, with his current adult thoughts, gradually merge as a realization of who he is, and that is a man who is a compassionate man worthy of living and respect and forgiveness. He is a survivor and a hero in the end.If you don't bust out in tears at the last scene, you totally missed the point.

The story seems to have been concocted around each of the principal actors' sterotypical characters...especially Hopper. There may have been a story somewhere here, but it falls way short of the mark.

"Leo" is intense & highly dramatic. Mehdi Norowzian has his feature directorial debut with this small low-budget picture. However, low budget does not mean low on artistry. Norowzian had been nominated for an Oscar in 1999 for his live action short film "Killing Joe" and has had an extensive career in commercials as the DVD extra interview attests. He does an excellent job of weaving the two story lines together as the audience increasingly becomes aware of how they interrelate. 1998 was Joseph Fiennes' banner year with both "Elizabeth" and "Shakespeare In Love" being critical and box-office successes. His portrayal of Martin Luther in 2003's "Luther" was also intense and excellent. As Stephen who is released from prison for murder, we come to know the man who was emotionally abused by his mother and yet who is highly intelligent and has his own sense of morality. We come to see him as both victim and hero, a quite ranging performance. Elizabeth Shue takes on some amazingly complex roles such as the prostitute in "Leaving Las Vegas" that earned her best actress Oscar nomination in 1995. She has also appeared with Kevin Bacon in "The Hollow Man" in 2000 and with Robert DeNiro & Dakota Fanning in this year's "Hide & Seek." As Leo's mother Mary Bloom, we see her as an attractive although emotionally damaged woman who cannot control her own grief without taking it out on her son. As young Leopold, Davis Sweat does a nice job in his film debut. Playwright Sam Shepard does an excellent job as the restaurant owner Vic with his own private demons. His candid interview in the DVD tells us how all of these actors took these roles at scale & were in it for the artistry, not the bucks. He swings a mean baseball bat! Although his appearance is brief, Jake Webber who currently stars in the NBC series "Medium" does a good job as Leopold's father, the college professor Ben. Webber's face is increasingly becoming recognizable although he's previously been in "U571," "The Cell," & "Meet Joe Black." While Mary Bloom believes that her husband has been unfaithful, she takes up with a handyman/painter played by Justin Chambers ("The Wedding Planner") who is as sleazy as he is uncontrolled & dangerous. Dennis Hopper's lone Oscar nomination for acting -- not counting the screenplay of "Easy Rider" -- was in "Hoosiers" in 1986. He dons the role of crazed villain as Horace in this picture. Horace is as unredeemable as Hopper's performance is well executed. Deborah Unger as the waitress Caroline has sass & plays great fear in her backroom confrontation scene with Horace. She has played opposite Denzel Washington in "The Hurricane" and Mel Gibson in "Payback." As Mary Bloom's sister, Mary Stewart Masterson ("Some Kind of Wonderful," "Bed of Roses," "Benny & Joon") does an excellent cameo performance. I found the psychological weaving of the two story lines to be intriguing, well intertwined by Norowzian. Fiennes' performance is the peg around which this story swirls; and his performance is solid sterling. The cinematography is also excellent with some breathtaking shots that frame the story. This is one low-budget flick that is well worth the view. Enjoy!

Great little independent type movie. It's a dark dramatic film with several story lines going on at once (but easy to follow). Great acting within a great story. This is one of those little movies that becomes a "great find" that you will remember.

First, I am not for economic patriotism like the French, but I feel that if you are going to sell a DVD in the USA and put Spanish or French subtitles, the DVD should also offer English subtitles, otherwise keep the DVD in Mexico or Quebec. As for the movie, it is great story with some great actors, however, the scenario is totally discombobulated, we have no idea of the time sequence, and the realism behind it is totally lame. Like how does a widow stay in such a big house and not have to work, but drinks alll day long. Many other scenes like the courtroom trial are also lacking in realism.The director, Mehdi Norowzian is an unknown, the name has an Armenian root, but at any rate it is not directed according to the modicum of standards that Hollywood uses. The writers are also foreign and perhaps that explains the lack of realism, however, I choose to fault the director, since a director can deviate from the script as he sees fit.Elizabeth Shue is great, too bad Sam Shepard and Mary Stuart Masterson have such small roles. As for Joseph Fiennes, I am surprised he accepted such a role in the first place.bottom line is that it could have made an oscar winning movie, but with such a cast, the direction appears amateurish.

Thank you!

I bought this movie, Leo, three years ago in the "previously viewed" section of a ubiquitous movie rental company. I'd not heard of the movie until I saw it for sale that day and bought it merely because Joseph Fiennes was on the cover. What a gem I discovered. Not only in the fine cast but also in their performances, the direction and the cinematography. And this was Norowzian's directorial debut - outstanding.In thirty-five years of watching movies and with an increasingly critical eye, I must rank this movie as one the best movies I have ever seen. To articulate a thought through an image; to express an emotion in a gesture is not just film making, it's poetry. The French Existentialist, Albert Camus said, "Like great works deep feelings mean more than they are capable of saying." This movie is the exact felicity of Camus.

Brilliant story set when he was younger then and now, there is a moral to this story, always remember what happened in your youth,

Only brought this film as it had Elizabeth Shue in the cast but it was a very good film

Great acting from all involved. Very enjoyable.