We've all seen him: the crazy guy on the street corner whose mutterings, just shy of intelligent commentary, make us wonder how he ended up this way. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING) descends into that alienated, downtrodden territory in one night in this urgent,... [More]

We've all seen him: the crazy guy on the street corner whose mutterings, just shy of intelligent commentary, make us wonder how he ended up this way. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING) descends into that alienated, downtrodden territory in one night in this urgent, thought-provoking drama based on a David Mamet play. A staid salaryman with a comfortable existence, Edmond abruptly leaves his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon) one night after having a dire fortune reading, and, in the hours that follow, he taps into a bleak reality that shatters what remains of his sanity. At first deciding to ease his sorrows by having sex, his attempts are thwarted by his characteristic thrift and naive, awkward approach. After getting ripped off by some thugs and pawning his wedding ring, Edmond buys a knife to protect himself from the violence with which he is quickly becoming familiar; when he is again threatened on the street, he rises to the occasion with bitter hatred and his own shocking violence. In the course of the ensuing crime and punishment--each horrifying in its turn--Edmond comes to shaky terms with the meaning of fate and the individual's relative inability to determine its outcome, and finds a most unexpected reconciliation in the face of his knowledge. Macy's performance is astounding as a man buffeted by forces outside his comprehension, while the film uses unflinching realism to address aspects of urban life, including racism, the sex industry, and the indifference with which we treat one another. He is supported by a cast that includes Julia Stiles (THE OMEN), Joe Mantegna (KIM POSSIBLE), Debi Mazar (ENTOURAGE), Mena Suvari (AMERICAN BEAUTY), Denise Richards (LOVE, ACTUALLY), and Bai Ling (THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY). [Less]