I know, that's not what you expect from a film with this sort of<br /><br />lineage- it's a direct descendant of The Best Years of Our Lives<br /><br />and The Men... films dealing with men who are in the hospital<br /><br />dealing with tragic circumstances. But this film is full of wonderful<br /><br />surprises and performances. It features stellar performances from<br /><br />Eric Stoltz and Helen Hunt (including a rather risque nude scene)<br /><br />and Wesley Snipes and William Forsythe. As Emanuel Levy wrote<br /><br />in his book Cinema of Outsiders (about the Independent film<br /><br />movement) "The Waterdance is coherant, attentive to detail, and<br /><br />unsentimental with a wicked down to earth humor- it' s at once<br /><br />funny and sad, and the entire cast is impressive." I was<br /><br />extraordinarily moved by this film, it's hard hitting yes, but also has<br /><br />very tender moments and laugh out loud moments. A rare gem.