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Created May 09, 2013 08:52PM PST • Edited May 09, 2013 08:56PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   This movies enjoys an upward bias due to the foresight of casting Eva Mendes but even then the movie is elevated to must see status due to a scene near the end that is perhaps one of the industry’s best at capturing the feeling of generational connectivity. Truly great movies and performances are rare, but dozens upon dozens of movies achieve an important feat of capturing, with only a scene, a feeling, sensitivy or condition. You could finally look beyond the unending beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer, if that is possible, with the tearful scene in The Story of Us and the uncomfortable reunion of Holly Hunter, William Hurt and Mr Perspiring Anchorman at the end of Broadcast News forever puts me in a theater with these actors in the cast. Thus is the reward, and thus worth the expenditure of your non-taxed income, to see the scene with Bradley Cooper’s offspring travelling over ground his dad did years before.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Look, carpe diem applies to moviegoers as well and you need to see a fine young actor coming into his own with each movie. Ryan Gosling is a great young actor. He has patiently developed himseld since he played defensive back on Denzel’s football team and now in recent years possesses broadened talents that manisfest with a range in characters that fall into the category of Meryl Streep’s efforts. He also makes his co-stars better, another talent of the best among the herd. And of course we all would rob banks for another night with Eva Mendes but to her credit she plays the betrayed mom well, and might consider it again with lesser talent to see if it was her or the bad boy who wronged her.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Great 4.0

    The script reflects a valid attempt at originality and the acting ranged from good to strong. That the story successfully brings tattoos, motorcylces, polaroid photos, baby cribs, and politics together without loosing the story tells you that there is a message there.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Great 4.0

13. Music Great 4.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 2.7

17. Sex Erotic 2.9

    Look, Eva Mendes is in the movie which scores “erotic” once you read the credits.

18. Violence Brutal 2.6

    Mildly brutal by 21st standards, savage if I had gone when gas was less than $1

19. Rudeness Salty 2.5

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

    entirely believable if you attend any NFL games these days.

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0