THIRTEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING is that rare delight, a movie that must be seen to be believed. It is deceptively simple and familiar, yet complex and quitely surprising at all times. I screened it at home a few nights ago, and its scenes, characters and concepts continue to challenge my imagination and gratify my affection for movies.

The DVD includes a commentary by the two sisters who wrote and directed the film, along with the man who edited it. The editor did a good job with the footage, but is a bore on the commentary. The sisters seem so modest and easy-going a pair, that it's hard to believe they had the chutzpah to get this film made. It is obviously low budget, and they speak a lot about the scenes they couldn't afford to shoot, etc. Yet, they are able to assemble Alan Arkin, Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro and other members of the excellent cast and help them all to give unforgettable performances. This is definitely Must See D V D and commentary.

I am a little surprised at how quiet and subdued they are talking about the film. (I am used to hearing commentaries from really excited people.) There is a lot of talk that made me appreciate the film better, by pointing out things they did with the sound, lighting, direction, and trying to make shots look like certain paintings. But I do wish they spoke more about the script and what the story was trying to say.

Of interest was how the director and writer state that many characters smoked randomly in order to help them get an R rating, which they needed so it would do better. (Seriously, they say this...) And also, how Matthew McConaghey started work on this film the day after he finished Frailty.