This movie features another great performance from Jeff Bridges, as a convicted felon whose son wants to have a relationship with him. It's a rare cinematic look at the strained father-teenage son relationship. Edward Furlong is sympathetic as Bridges' persistent son. The ending bothered me a bit - almost too anti-Hollywood, but this film is not driven by plot. The characters are the meat of this story. Makes a worthwhile rental.

The always excellent Jeff Bridges gives one of his finest, most impressive and hard-edged performances to date as Jack Kelson, a scruffy, but basically decent ex-con who gets paroled and has trouble readjusting to civilian life. Jack gets a job washing windows, resides in a cheap crummy apartment, tries to save money so he can move to Alaska and start life afresh, and attempts to bond with his forlorn, disaffected teenage son Nick (beautifully played by Edward Furlong). Documentary filmmaker Martin Bell, working from an astute, no-nonsense script by Peter Silverman, directs his first fictional feature with a commendable blend of total assurance and steady compassion for the more downtrodden members of modern society. The strong, moving and absorbing story about redemption and urban blight thankfully eschews cloying sentiment and hokey mainstream Hollywood razzle-dazzle; in their place we instead have a rough and unsentimental tone that naturally draws poignancy from the characters and the dire situation they find themselves struggling to overcome. Bridges and Furlong are both outstanding in the leads; they receive fine support from Lucinda Jenney as Jack's sweet cabbie girlfriend Charlotte, Don Harvey as Jack's slimy old criminal partner Rainey, Tracey Kaprisky as sad teenage prostitute Molly, and Melvyn Hayward as Jack's stern, but fair parole officer Normandy. The cinematography by James R. Bagdonas nails the grimy despair of the grungy Seatle locations with exceptional vividness. James Newton Howard's spare, bluesy score and a tip-top soundtrack which includes several terrific songs by Tom Waits further add to the film's deeply affecting impact. The downbeat ending is absolutely heartbreaking. A total powerhouse.

Martin Bell had previously focused on Seattle's skid row with the documentary "Streetwise", focusing on several homeless children. He then directed "American Heart", addressing the same sort of thing. Jeff Bridges plays an ex-con whose son (Edward Furlong) reconnects with him. Forced to live in a dismal apartment, they have no choice but to eke out a living by any means necessary.

It's one of the grittiest movies that you'll ever see. In addition to the focus on poverty, most of the characters make you feel as if you're walking on eggshells. A stark contrast to the image of Seattle as one of the most livable cities in the US; I recently moved to Seattle and can confirm that there's a lot of homelessness. This movie certainly gives one a sense of what it's like, with the unpleasant things that they have to do to survive. Definitely see it.

Lucinda Jenney plays a supporting role.