PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

Skunkyrate Gripping story with well-crafted characters

ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

scoup Low rating is due to film shortcomings and not content of the movie or graphic scenes – I am perfectly fine with the subject matter.Maria Bello's portrayal of Nancy is lacking on many levels. I feel no empathy towards her and further into the movie I begin to look forward to her death to end her whiny self-absorbed and childish behavior. Another walking skeleton actress who needs to eat something because the sex scenes were not sexy or engaging. How we are supposed to believe that not only one man, but two are in love with this train wreck is beyond me and derails the entire movie.I understand that her childhood abuse contributed to her emotional problems, but leave the marriage like every other dysfunctional person; there were no kids to keep her there (another understandably depressing issue but of course she can't adopt, right?). Nope. She just stays and tortures her husband and flings potatoes at him and wonders why he won't screw her – that's hot…not. If she really wanted to be tortured and killed, then go live on the street and get raped and beaten, probably killed. Nope. Comfy house with husband worrying about her while she emails other men and cuts herself.I've seen the criticism and discussion of the husband Albert as being unresponsive and contributory. I feel that this portrayal or opinion is unfair. He seems to be worn from 15 years of marriage to this roller-coaster twit; every emotion has already been extracted many times over so what is the use. Sewell has it down perfectly for me. If the husband was making her unhappy, then she had every opportunity to leave over 15 years. It just looks like she enjoyed being supported so she did not work and could concentrate on her neuroses.Patric as the boyfriend/killer was okay. Maybe it was the script, but I just did not get enough conviction that his character derived pleasure and satisfaction.I had a classmate that committed suicide in 6th grade. By this real life standard, Nancy is an epic failure at her deepest desire to end her pain this far along. The story then becomes one of fetish and narcissism instead of desperation. There is no discussion to be had regarding lack of understanding, compassion or experience in the aforementioned subjects; I have plenty and draw from real life my assessment that the characters and storyline are not cohesive and true to life. This story is inspired by a real life story – I did research it after I viewed the movie. It also solidified my opinion more.

Jimmy Collins The title DownloadingNancy does nothing for this film, I wish the writer could have come up with something more polished because the title doesn't do the film any justice. That is literally the only thing wrong with this disturbing but excellent film.Maria Bello is on top of her game as Nancy, a woman who is tormented by life, a woman who has given up hope of ever finding happiness, Bello has never been better than she is here, it's such a shame that this film went unnoticed because I'm sure she would've been a frontrunner for all of the big awards. She totally embodies this character, in saying that, Maria Bello is a tremendously watchable actress and no matter what kind of role she's in she always shines.This film has a fascinating subject matter, the thought of someone being so unhappy in life that they would go to the extreme of paying someone to torture and kill them is truly sad. This film is loosely based in fact so it's not Luke we can just say " it's only a movie", also this is not just a one off thing, another film tackles the same subject, Grimm Love, starring Keri Russell also has the same story line, that movie is much more horrific and graphic but it deals with the same issue of people being unhappy in life.This movie isn't something to cheer you up, it's most certainly not going to do that, but if you like movies that will divide a room and start a conversation then this is one for you.I wish this movie had found a bigger audience because it's so deserving of a wide audience, I really hope Maria Bello gets more roles like this in the future. She's just excellent.

Claudio Carvalho The masochist housewife Nancy (Maria Bello) is a physically and psychologically destroyed woman. She had been so violently abused by her uncle since she was seven years old that she can not have babies anymore. She is ignored by her selfish husband Albert (Rufus Sewell), who does not have sex with her or give any attention to her problems, dedicating his leisure time to play a virtual golf game in a special room in their fancy house. The psychoanalyst Carol (Amy Brenneman) unsuccessfully tries to help Nancy to resolve her emotional issues with therapy. When Nancy contacts the sick sadomasochist Louis (Jason Patrick) in internet, she schedules a meeting with him in Baltimore to release her from her painful life. They meet each other and have kinky sex, but along the days together, Louis falls in love for Nancy and tries to persuade her to stay alive. "Downloading Nancy" is a disturbing, powerful and heartbreaking movie with a story apparently based on a true event. Yesterday when I saw this film, I felt very uncomfortable with the dramatic story of Nancy, a woman destroyed by sexual abuses in the childhood and adolescence, and rejection and lack of love in her marriage. The gorgeous Maria Bello performing a character without any glamor gives a performance that should deserve a nomination to the Oscar, if this ridiculous institution were slightly honest and serious. Rufus Sewell is amazing in the role of a selfish man totally indifferent to the emotional problems of his needy wife. Jason Patrick is also excellent and there is one specific scene absolutely gruesome when he has sex with Nancy and a piece of glass. The non-linear screenplay makes the difference in this film, disclosing the drama of the lead character through flashbacks and intelligent dialogs. This mature movie is only recommended for very specific audiences and the DVD should have a warning in this regard. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Distúrbios do Prazer" ("Disturbs of the Pleasure")

lastliberal The question is, Is this film worth watching? Of course it is, if for nothing else but to see Maria Bello's Indy Award nominated performance. Don't let the fact that it went straight to video dissuade you.It is not a pretty movie. Watching the effects of child sexual abuse never is. Watching someone engage in self-mutilation to mask the pain is, in a word, painful.Bello (A History of Violence, The Cooler) was, of course, perfect for the role. Rufus Sewell played the husband, who was more of an enigma. It was never clear whether he was just a jerk who was obsessed with golf, or if 15 years of marriage to Nancy (Bello) just wore him down.Nancy finds Louis (Jason Patric), someone on the Internet she wants to kill her. They end up having a relationship, if you want to call it that.In the end, I am not sure whether he kills her or whether she kills herself. It really doesn't matter. It was a dark, twisted film with very little music and washed out cinematography. It set the mood, but it is easy to see why this film would get no buyers at Sundance.People don't go to the movies to get more depressed, and this one will do just that.