Kevin Bacon is a fine actor and I admire him taking the risk of playing this role, but I think the film would have been far better if it had contained a more true to life portrait of a pedophile.
As I understand it, serial pedophiles cannot be cured, and only through extreme will power, and usually with the help of aversion therapy and medication, can even a few of them manage to control their behavior.
Some critics have said this film is sympathetic to pedophiles. I wouldn't say that about it, Kevin Bacon's character, Walter, is not particularly likable or sympathetic, in my opinion.
However the film is exceedingly unrealistic by giving the impression that all Walter needs to straighten him out is: (a)the love of a good woman (b)the realization that a little girl is already being abused by her father and (c)turning violently upon another pedophile. In the latter case, I wasn't so sure but what his violence had more to do with the other pedophile being interested in little boys rather than little girls, then it did with actually realizing the destructive nature of pedophilia on its victims.
I had hoped we might learn more about what leads to this behavior in the first place, but that information was not supplied.
5 stars out of 10.
As I understand it, serial pedophiles cannot be cured, and only through extreme will power, and usually with the help of aversion therapy and medication, can even a few of them manage to control their behavior.
Some critics have said this film is sympathetic to pedophiles. I wouldn't say that about it, Kevin Bacon's character, Walter, is not particularly likable or sympathetic, in my opinion.
However the film is exceedingly unrealistic by giving the impression that all Walter needs to straighten him out is: (a)the love of a good woman (b)the realization that a little girl is already being abused by her father and (c)turning violently upon another pedophile. In the latter case, I wasn't so sure but what his violence had more to do with the other pedophile being interested in little boys rather than little girls, then it did with actually realizing the destructive nature of pedophilia on its victims.
I had hoped we might learn more about what leads to this behavior in the first place, but that information was not supplied.
5 stars out of 10.