Eye of God

REVIEW
One of the most chilling films in recent memory, Eye of God uses the biblical tale of Abraham and Isaac to dovetail two riveting stories -- Ainsley Dupree's (Plimpton) increasingly repressive marriage to an ex-con (Anderson), and a devastated young boy's (Stahl) response to witnessing a gruesome murder. Writer-director Nelson has a remarkable grasp of the dead-end lives of his characters, and the performances are uniformly excellent. Using an ominous flash-forward/flashback time sequence to create a brilliant mosaic that show these very different characters' lives intersect, Nelson depicts the hope and suffocation each individual feels as they faithfully try to start families, and find work. The only drawback to this simple, yet extraordinarily powerful film is the graphic, disturbing ending which reinforces the evil that prompts the grisly murder. A haunting, unforgettable experience.