La critique de James Berardinelli (4)
It's hard to fault the performance of either Matt Damon or Henry Thomas. Their characters aren't very dynamic or interesting, but the actors appear to be playing them the way they're written. Damon isn't a chameleon when it comes to acting, but he's perfectly capable of believably portraying this kind of naïve character, and Thomas is cut from the same mold. Most of the attempts to flesh out these two individuals, as well as their connection to each other, were probably left on the cutting room floor.
Actors Sam Shepard and Robert Patrick are given cameos in important roles; one has a sense that their parts were intended to be more substantial. There's also a curious appearance by Bruce Dern as a judge. On the surface, the character is almost superfluous, but there are hints that his wisdom enables John to reconcile himself with what has happened in the past and to determine which path he should take in the future.