"the Passion of Darkly Noon" has to be one of the most bleak and emotional films I have seen. It's even more depressing than Philip Ridley's other film, "The Reflecting Skin". Believe it or not, Philip Ridley is not only a writer of plays but of children's books. "The Passion of Darkly Noon" is a beautiful, disturbing and surreal psychological drama in the vein of "Blue Velvet", "Santa Sangre", "Donnie Darko" and "I Stand Alone". Brandon Fraiser gives an amazing and overlooked performance as Darkly Noon; a naive young Christian man who's just escaped a waco like religious cult. He witnessed his parents and other members shot down by police. Darkly is found injured in the woods and stays with Callie (Ashley Judd), who takes care of Darkly till he's better. Ashley Judd's Character is a nature loving feminist beauty. (Check out the close up of her arm pit hair.) Callie start's to fall for Darkly. Her mute boyfriend is played by Viggo Mortenson. Since Darkly has lived a secluded life with not much contact of the outside world, he doesn't know how to deal with his sexual feelings for Callie. Out of guilt he prays for forgiveness and mutilates himself with barb wire. His religious beliefs cause him to slowly loose his sanity and see visions of his dead parents. He feels it's God's mission for him to kill. The film builds up unbearable tension as it goes along. Ashley Judd is amazing with a performance so good, it's as if she's having a real nervous breakdown. Brandon Fraiser gives the best performance of his career. His character is down right scary, especially compared to his usual roles in family films. Their are certain images in this film that are very confusing. One being the giant silver shoe floating in the pond. "The Passion of Darkly Noon" is somewhat of a puzzle and may require a second viewing. Either way it has my highest recommendation.

That was the worst 100 minutes of my life. Honestly I would pay twenty dollars to had not watched this movie. Out of all of the cheesy movies I have seen in my lifetime, this movie is the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life. Save yourself and DO NOT WATCH. I would provide a better critical analysis, but I watched the movie like 5 years ago. The horribleness, if a word, still haunts me to this day. The movie was poorly directed. The movie was poorly produced. The movie had poor acting. I have no idea why anyone would consider watching this movie. If you would like to rent a video to see your threshold of pain this is the movie for you.

I really can't understand why people give this film lousy reviews. It is well written, the acting is excellent and overall it is really, really intense. Probably people who only like the other types of films that BF appears in can't handle this one.

Ahh, Christ! I am so sick of movies like these. You know the type, filled with lots of symbolism that fails to symbolize anything other than the director being more concerned for his reputation as an "artist," than the audience understanding his message or feeling engaged by the story. Some of this symbolism goes to theextremes of being laughable, such as, (PERHAPS A MINOR SPOILER, but idoubt it) a giant, mirrored shoe floating down the river. What's truly worse is this had the potential of being a very interesting drama, as Darkly Noon, a manchild raised in a religiously fanatical household wrestleswith his attraction to married woman, is ruined by the writer/director's self- indulgence. He feels the need to throw lots of shallow ideas at us, hoping we will find him brilliant and ignore that he does not even seem to know what he is trying to say or even how to tell the story. What truly makes me upset is that this is the type of movie brainwashed art- house whores are willing to gravel over self-righteously. They are willing to stand in line like sheep and sing the praises of a movie they don't understand, going on and on about how it goes against the "Evil Hollywood System," thenew catch-all category for everyone who feels like complaining; this complaint has become the equivalent of film-school rejects who do poor work, turn it in late, and when they are given their deservingly terrible grade, scream and holler they are not being understood for the "true artist they really are." That everyone else is just "unsophisticated." Well, Hollywood may give us lots of garbage, but at least they don't wrap their trash in boring, pretensious stabs at meaningdesigned less for thinking audiences and more for self-obsessed "intellectuals," whom like to show off how smart they think they are. If you want a film thatcreates a thoroughly engaging, entertaining, and meaningful drama throughuse of surreal imagery try Neil Jordan's The Butcher Boy. Normally, i'm not this mean to a film, but when i get slapped in the face, i feel abliged to return the favor.