The lesson here seems to be that captivity comes in many forms, and one is not necessarily any better than another. Leon, the "hero" of the story, is a bastard by any measurement, and one whose occasional bouts of guilt or compassion at first win your sympathy, but eventually only emphasize his uglier qualities. Rosa is a less interesting character, almost all victim, and its her lack of depth that lowers the film a bit. Overall, however, I found it more engaging than Europa Europa.