A couple of people mentioned this film yesterday. Co-incidental that I watched it last night. It's very recent but has been, it seems, scorned by reviewers and audiences. Why? I suspect it's too close to home for many people. It deals with the issues of divorced parents, alienated fathers, and the all too common patterns of murder-suicide associated with divorce/custody issues. BTW, the Australian Attorney's Dept does not keep records of murder-suicides that might be associated with custody/family law issues. Michael Douglas does turn out to be demented in one way, but in another he lives and dies his conditioning: if he is shot his daughter will get the benefit of his insurance; if he lives he will only see her from behind bars. He chooses death. But is he is demented, so is every other person in the film. No-one, except the daughter, is not, to varying degrees, off the planet. See this film!! ___________________________________________________________ Errol Vieth Department of Communication and Media Studies/ Faculty of Arts Central Queensland University ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4702 AUSTRALIA e-mail [log in to unmask] phone + 61 79 30 9502 fax + 61 79 30 9501 ___________________________________________________________