You know, this is the first year I can remember when all five of the "Best Picture" nominations for the Academy Awards were actually good enough to maybe deserve it. And this is one of the five.

Like Pulp Fiction, this is one of those movies where several stories are told a bit at a time, cutting quickly back and forth between the characters and situations, and the viewer is putting it all together as he or she watches. Mostly, the stories have to do with prejudice and preconceptions; many of the characters are police, lawyers or their associates/significant others. And there is no real end to any of these stories (at least, for the people who live through them) but there is some closure, some insights into their characters and enough information to see where they may be going after the movie is over.

There are lots of good people in this film, but Don Cheadle (who is in the running for Serious Honey) was wonderful, as was Matt Dillon.

Worth watching not just once, but a couple of times...I can't wait to see it again.