Okay, I saw it.
Ehh... not bad but not very good, somewhat enjoyable to watch, but I'll probably forget about it by tomorrow.
Here's what I see as the movie's fatal flaw: yes, Dakota Fanning is in her underwear for almost half the movie, however, her body appears to be pre-pubescent, with only the faintest hint of breast buds. This means that her habit of frequently parading around in various and sundry undergarments will only appeal to pedophiles. This also means that the minor character who rapes her would likely be classified as a pedophile as well. If you are a normal, healthy American man who generally fancy young ladies who have at least begun to menstruate, this movie is something of a turn-off.
The much-discussed rape scene is nothing. At least in the toned-down theatrical release, it lasts all of 8 seconds and if it were made any tamer, the viewer probably wouldn't have known what was happening.
Two interesting things I learned:
- Negroes are simple, earthy people who exist solely to help troubled white people by using their simple uneducated spiritual wisdom, their blues music, and their primitive folk medicine.
- Even if you're a creepy milkman with severe acne, all it takes to get a girl to strip naked & dance for you is to flash her a pair of concert tickets. At least, this worked in the days of Elvis. I'm not sure if it's still valid today.
Pic unrelated.