Some actors shouldn’t be directors (i.e. quit their day jobs). Two that come to mind are Tim Robbins and Ben Stiller, both great performers who’ve directed some really lousy movies. When it comes to Sean Penn, one of the most underrated actors of our time, I could go either way. The films that he directs always have good atmosphere and cinematography, and THE PLEDGE is no exception. But the prevailing problem I’ve noticed is that all of his movies are slower than molasses. So much attention is paid to atmosphere and mood, the story finally suffers. THE PLEDGE held my attention, but not without effort. It’s frankly an easy movie to zone out on and will never be a mainstream hit. If Penn could only lighten up a bit, his films would be more appealing. THE PLEDGE is simply depressing without needing to be so. It has an ending that critics will love and audiences will hate. I’m sorry, but this notion that happy endings are the easiest conclusions is a crock. As in life, it’s far easier to be negative. But try telling that to a film critic.