This has a Robert Altman feel and was obviously influenced by “Nashville” and its successors.  It’s about racism in America but there’s no KKK or Black Panthers running around.  It’s more about shadings.  (Probably a bad choice of term, but better than saying there was no black and white.)  The acting is superb, with Ludacris the biggest surprise.  He’s a natural and nailed his part through the heart. (Of course it didn’t hurt that he had the best lines.)

The only time I hit the FF button was when the “acting” scenes ran too long.  And too many of them did.  The actors want opportunities to strut their chops. But my thumb decided that a number of what should have been straightforward scenes about relationships and such ran longer than they should – okay, we know you’re a good father and we know you love your daughter, now get off the screen.  Sort of like writers who fall in love with the sound of their own words and ramble on about wallpaper patterns and waving meadows of grass.  My thumb screamed “We know!  We know!” and jumped on the button.

I’ve said more than I intended.  Better quit now.

FF= 1.5