no it's not a neatly packaged beat the crooks and get the girl movie, but that's not why we watch small film is it? those reviewers really need to stick to john travolta or csi in their favorite city.
you want vivid characters? nothing beats 'do the right thing'. vanity? sounds more like a confession of the viewer than a review of this film.
what it is - an introspective and retrospective study of a very young and initially gullible man who almost loses his marriage and questions his values and view of self through therapy. a more common than not crossroads for many young would-be instant millionaire attorneys or investment bankers in new york. is personal wealth worth the human cost? it strongly projects a minimalist and artsy approach, quite unusual for this type of story - so what? i don't see anything wrong with that.
no car chases, no firearms, no goons, fine with me. but several fantastic shots, creative camera angles and follows, and mostly excellent editing. realistic and thoughtful script, strong and tight performances from the co-stars, not overdone.
a bit preachy and predictable in a few places, so only 8 of 10 because these are qualities i dislike.
i will see and enjoy this one again.