While the novel, written by Joyce Carol Oates and first published by Plume in 1994, originally takes place in the early 1950's, the story was perfectly adapted for the modern screen. The casting of Angelina Jolie as Legs was a brilliant move, and with her recent celebrity status a wider audience has been persuaded to view the film. Modernizing the story also increases audience appeal, but the primary reason the movie is so successful for me is because of the "real" feeling I get from the settings, costume design and camera work. I felt that I could identify in part with each of the main characters at some point, yet the movie was able to maintain that Hollywood-ish sense of magic and mystery that is so important in good film-making. Finally, I would like to give praise to Hedy Burress, Jenny Lewis, Jenny Shimizu and Sarah Rosenberg for masterful performances in such an amazing film.
