This moderately engaging, offbeat film requires a patience that audiences haven't demonstrated recently for stories concerning the fate of soldiers at home or abroad.

While hardly sophisticated in its approach and certainly not polished in its technical elements, the film does get its heartfelt message across with undeniable sincerity.

This inspirational sports drama unfolds in such generic fashion that it feels contrived more often than it rings true.

A shrill, far-fetched thriller.

Odd too, for a film that wants to correct impression anyone had as to the abilities of black U.S. soldier in combat, are the ethnic cliches about Italians and Germans, to say nothing of rednecks.

For much of the way, the film just feels like it's pressing too hard to make an impression.

A tasteful melodrama courtesy of the easy chemistry between its two leads and a generally restrained touch from Tony-winning director George C. Wolfe in his feature debut.

The great strength of the film is that it is difficult to know where cinema verite leaves off and fiction begins.

While Atwater exerted notable influence on contemporary politics, this account of his career doesn't make for particularly absorbing viewing.

Poorly structured and at times incoherent.

Modest but moving, a finely observed portrait of a father/daughter relationship that will resonate deeply for many viewers.

A fine dramatic comedy with fresh characters, witty dialogue and a keen interest in how relationships must have developed among frontier folks, tyrannical ranchers, no-nonsense lawmen and -- oh, yes -- the complicated women on that frontier.

While it makes no bones about where its sympathies lie, these fictional stories show a genuine fascination with the role politics plays on both sides of such confrontations and how things can spin out of control with no single person to blame.

Keira Knightley is a terrific choice to play the 18th century socialite.

In spite of a few missteps, the cumulative impact of the film is undeniable.

The film, absent a sense of place and populated by repellent or weak characters, soon devolves into an increasingly foul litany of events.

A winning mix of sharp comedy and touching bits that keeps the laughter -- a few tears -- flowing.

Although the visuals tantalize and the actors providing the voices add a lot of sass, the result is only so-so.

Eventually the conventions of romantic comedy take hold, with the humor declining precipitously.

Many of the film's most entertaining moments are, ironically, its most peripheral: Namely, the extensive archival clips of news conferences in which an alternately relaxed and tense Kennedy jostled with journalists

Joel and Ethan Coen clearly are in a prankish mood, knocking out a minor piece of silliness with all the trappings of an A-list studio movie.

Insistent, sometimes conspicuously one-sided, the film's concerns are difficult to dismiss, considering that a water-starved planet isn't ultimately viable.

Alternately disturbing, laceratingly satirical and affectingly poignant, the film, which he adapted from the novel, Towelhead, by Alicia Erian, is very much a companion piece to the Ball-penned "American Beauty" in its unwavering examination of the dirty little secrets and raging hypocrisies lurking just beyond all those manicured suburban lawns.

Woodard conveys the rock-solid values of a true Christian without ever falling into sappiness. Bates is enjoyably larger-than-life, as the role requires.

An ordinary cop picture boosted by two charismatic superstars but hindered by its dearth of surprises.

The film repeatedly sacrifices dramatic punch for political correctness.

Most entertaining comic drama with a great turn by Jamie Bell.

Tsai, who co-wrote the script with Yu, pulls out all the stops with his C-dub role, brimming with witty send-ups of Chinese-American cultural values and Asian stereotypes.