My father always told me to be wary of reviewers who label their object of review as one which is *multi-layered* in a negative tone ("the fatal problem is that this is a film with an identity crisis", according to some Time-Out hack). It tells you one thing: That these reviewers have problems with understanding complex issues. Phrases like "this film doesn't know what it wants to be" etc., might've sounded 'phat!' ten years ago, but are sooooooo nineties.<br /><br />Especially if said reviewers get essential story details wrong, one should be very mistrustful about their supposed skills, and whether they'd actually SEEN the film in the first place.<br /><br />I'm referring of course, to the mother's meeting with the bombers son, which was of course, the completely logical conclusion of the journalists' actions, which themselves were borne out of a desire to win the mother back, which was totally understandable because of his guilt and her being highly attractive AND a damsel in distress, too.<br /><br />This is clearly a film about guilt, both hers and his (and the coppers'), and dealing with grief and death of loved ones. The fact that there is some sort of institutionalized screw ups isn't there to show conspiracy, but to show that we all messed up at times. The references to the shooting/execution by the police of the innocent Brazilian in the subway after 7/7 are clear and intentional.<br /><br />This is a great film, I really dunno what everybody is on about. Aside from the whole accent thing (we know that Williams' accent is fake, it is not perfect, but adequate. If we hadn't known that she was an American, most of the non-Brits would've never guessed) this is a near flawless film, story-wise. Williams again, delivers on the acting skills. She has been a very talented actress since childhood, whose talent can be obscured by her astonishing beauty. It can be more of an obstacle to her work, than an asset. Sometimes.<br /><br />Oh well. Even Michelle Williams can't have it all .... ;)<br /><br />The Melancholic Alcoholic.