I found out about this film long before I was able to rent it and I know I'll own it soon. I read some great reviews at Movies.com on it and it seems like it is held in great respect by critics who know it was unfairly snubbed by the Academy and even Golden Globes because of a young, yet talented cast with a low budget-an independent film! Director James Toback originally wanted Leonardo Dicaprio to play the leading role, because of Titanic - he became 'too expensive' which was actually a good thing. The director then cast Adrien Grenier in place - thank god! The film has a realistic theme and comes somewhere between 'Traffic' and 'American Beauty'. Sarah Michelle Gellar was Toback's first choice to play Cindy Bandollini and despite her heavy schedule and limited time she could spend on making the film because of 'Buffy' I think she did really well. It must be difficult to really set herself in and give a good performance when she has such little time. Her character was quite enjoyable - she was the most entertaining person in the film. Without SMG this films would have been a complete flop. The film is an eye opener for teenagers -<br /><br />they are set in a place that makes them feel like they are on a drug trip - the fact that taking LSD would never bring you down again is a frightening thought for teenagers playing with fire. The film's scenes are presented in a clever way - the effect of speeding up conversation is effective. It is a complicated film that will leave most people in the dark. After watching it for the 3rd time - it really does make out to be a great film! I recommend it!