The acting is outstanding, as is the story up until the ambiguous ending. Nothing is really resolved.

Some things felt contrived. At the party, when it was clear Jimmy needed medical help, his friend Virgil asked for his phone back with an increasing sense of urgency. But it was only the pledges who had their phones taken away. He could have easily borrowed a phone from one of the girls at the party or he could have ran next door and called an ambulance. There were options. It's not until the film is almost over that Virgil tells Jimmy's father what actually happened at the party. When Jimmy's mother kidnaps Jake to get the truth out of him, we don't know what he tells her. Does he admit to spiking Jimmy's beer and tying him up? Who knows? Did Virgil tell the police what happened at the party? Did they even bother to ask him? Again, we don't know. The only thing we learn about the police investigation is from the letter where the college denies responsibility. Did they know Jimmy had been tied up and had shots involuntarily poured down his throat? Everyone saw it, so if the police didn't know does that mean the investigation was sloppy or that everyone at the party lied? Did they have the photos that Virgil showed Jimmy's dad? Did they know that Jake tried to stop anyone from calling an ambulance? There are simply too many unanswered questions about what the police knew.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan's performance was Academy Award-winning level. She was very convincing as a distraught, mourning, devoutly Catholic mother. Robert Patrick was great in his smaller role as well. Aside from the fantastic acting, the other thing that really stood out was the brilliant score. I recommend this film, but be prepared for an unsatisfying ending. I would have preferred that mom murdered or kneecapped Jake, or that the kidnapping convinced the police to take another look at Jimmy's death and conclude there was criminal culpability, resulting in Jake's arrest.