The Sun
March 12, 2004
By Johnny Vaughan

Every performance in Leo is excellent and this baffling movie is well worth a look for that reason alone. The film has two storylines. In the first Stephen (Joseph Fiennes) leaves prison after serving 15 years for murder. He gets a job at a diner run by Vic (Sam Shepard) and populated by nasty regular Horace (Dennis Hopper).

In the second we go back 30 years to the life of Mary Bloom (Elisabeth Shue) who is married to a college professor. Convinced her husband is having an affair, Mary sleeps with Ryan (Justin Chambers) only to learn her husband has not been unfaithful. When he and their daughter Isabelle are killed in an accident, Mary collapses and gives birth to Leo - a child she hates as she thinks he is Ryan's son.

The story then cuts between Leo's unhappy childhood and Stephen's life before a shocking final twist brings the plots together.

Leo is beautifully shot, very moving and Hopper gets to revisit one of his greatest characters (Frank from Blue Velvet). The story becomes confusing towards the end but there is one thing I AM sure about - no one plays a psycho like Dennis.