The cast is great, although I would have liked to see more of Tom Waits. Kathy Bates' character is a little one-note (BITCH BITCH BITCH BITCH BITCH) but she does an exceptionally good job that makes up for the lack of depth. The direction seems uninspired; the staging is so straightforward, almost old-fashioned, that the occasional scenes of spectacle are a jarring and stilted break from the dialogue and action. This may be partially due to the film only being available on 4:3 VHS.