Eisenstein

This wasn't a great or outstanding movie, but it was fun as a Soprano fan, putting together the characters in this movie with the people we got to know later in their lives in the years-long series. Good acting.

Solid, traditional movie-making. Acting was good, pace was slow/deliberate. But the scene set ups at times felt forced or exposed: back and forth Medium Close Ups during conversations, felt like the lines weren't in conversation but each shot during the actor's MCU or CU. At times it felt like a student "continuity" edit assignment. The ending was not satisfying. There were some questionable "real world" issues (like, how long does it take to drive from Panama City FLA to Virginia?). And there's a difference between a military prison for crimes committed in military and a state or federal prison for criminal offenses.

This is a film that slowly reveals itself and the characters. The slow pace isn't for everyone - but it treats the subject and the people involved with heart - and art - and nuanced humor. The location shots are gorgeous and I appreciated that they were on-screen long enough to really explore what we were seeing ... I could feel the biting cold and wind. It was an interesting glimpse into the lives of refugees seeking asylum with what is probably a fraction of the very slow pace that the refugees experience waiting for their fates to be determined. Some nice character expositions; the phone calls home feel real. It has some heart-warming moments, like the Sikh who runs the local shop. The blank looks of acceptance on the faces of the refugees when confronted with disrespect or other slights seem right: a non-confrontational way to get by, particularly given the horrors they've escaped to make it to their Scotland holding location.

Fascinating “Mad Max”- like costumes and designs, and some interesting bits here and there, but after that wears off early on - it’s really a boring slog. We used “fast forward” a lot. Bleech.