This movie was refreshingly clean and did not attempt to stereotype the main character (Mel Gibson) with being a Mongoloid as a young man of lower intelligence. There are those among us who are similarly mentally endowed, but this is the only good movie I've seen to present this innocent type of below intelligence character. Even I was at first skeptical of Gibson's portrayal, but when the movie explained that his family had given up on what could be done for his intellect, it provided me hope in the movie along with his clean relationship with the old maid (Piper Lauri). This movie combined many facets of people together and situations, which is a tall order for a movie so short ... a mentally challenged young man stunted by family stigma and unintentional limitations; a simpleton family limited in ways of the world (but with a healthy family cohesion); the importance of life, quality of life and death; the raw turmoil of one's age and her perception of love (and old-maid self esteem); everyone's perception of love (not lust); and the clean nuances required to keep it all together. This movie gave the audience freedom to connect their own dots of things left unsaid .. to allow clean thinking on subjects that are difficult to ponder. Despite the low budget this movie seemed to have had, it is full of much depth. Due to being a deep movie, it would be missed by action thrill seekers. More could have been done for the audience regarding supporting Mary's (Piper Lauri) decision to marry Tim, but given the movie's flow style, the reason given was acceptable, if not quite adequate. After all, Mary was an intellectual, but not necessarily a rocket scientist. This movie presents what I would call "a different walks of life" scenario, and due to this, it wouldn't have been as readily acceptable to many viewers. Definitely not a movie for rote-type thinkers. I would rate this depth perception movie an 8 due to its' targeted depths it has, and the pleasantly lasting impression it made on me (and not just Gibson's short-short blue jean cutoffs ... (grin)).
