I wrote this movie off after the first 15 minutes or so, I'll admit it. The camera work was shaky, I didn't really care about the characters, the music was so annoying I wanted to smash my speakers, and my finger itched for the fast forward button on my remote. But then a magical thing happened. The street preacher lady and the main character, the hit man Kirby, started talking, and their banter was so natural, so funny in a down-to-earth way that it made me want to watch. I want them to star in another movie together because these two actors truly make each other light up onscreen, and they save what could have been a huge mess of a movie without them. Now that's not to say that the movie shows no promise. In fact the premise was so ingenious that I was eager to watch the movie because of that. A hit man staking out a local diner is beset by a woman intent on preaching the gospel and saving his soul. It sounds great, doesn't it? And I know that with independent films we need to expect film quality that might not be quite the best, but this movie gets pretty shaky.

I have to admit, Kirby's character is very human and relatable even for people who aren't hit men. Though the amount of dreamlike scenes in the movie casts doubt on what is really happening and what is only in Kirby's mind, the audience can see both from his visions and from the plethora of literary quotes and references that he trots out that Kirby is a deep thinker perhaps not best suited to his chosen profession. He pretends not to care and even to be annoyed by the street preacher, but little things betray his true feelings, like when he won't let people sit in the seat next to him at the counter of the diner because he knows she might be coming to see him. These little touches are moving and they don't seem forced either, which is refreshing. Having encountered many Jesus freaky people in my life I can testify to the reality of the lady's stance on almost everything, the way she deflects personal questions or criticisms with "Jesus loves you" and how she keeps redirecting every conversation back to Jesus.

It would seem that she really wants Kirby to have a relationship with Jesus while increasingly he wants a relationship with her. By its very nature, Kirby's profession is a lonely one, and he seems to enjoy her company even if he doesn't buy the religion she keeps trying to sell. At the end of the day, what she's really selling is faith, because it's her faith and belief in something after this life that lets her endure and be strong through whatever hardships she may face, and the ending, where she finds alternate means to use the bible as protection from evil, is pretty inspired. Ultimately, this woman and Kirby are what viewers are going to remember about the movie in spite of its flaws. I hope people give it a chance, because once it gets going the good parts outweigh the bad and it's definitely worth checking out.

Holy tie a camera to a dog's collar and let it run, Batman. Some scenes in this movie were difficult to watch because of the nauseating camera work. I know the guy was supposed to be dreaming or delusional or something, but I had to look away a few times to keep from vomiting. Also, the first 10-15 minutes, before the street preacher starts talking to Kirby, are atrocious. I hope people sit through them to watch the rest of the movie unfold, but the truth is without the banter between Kirby and the lady, the movie is hard to watch because no one else displays any charisma at all. And that's not for lack of trying. Kirby's partner seems designed to exude cool detachment and charisma, but it just doesn't come across. His mannerisms and especially his godforsaken WHISTLING made me want to bash in my television screen with a brick.

This movie seems to be getting a lot of praise from the critics, and while I do believe it is worthy, I find it amusing that no one seems interested in mentioning the film's flaws. No movie is flawless, and those atrocious opening minutes make the rest of the movie even more rewarding as the viewer is happy he or she didn't give up on the movie. The characters seem real, the situation is intriguing, and in spite of its missteps, the movie makes us care about the characters and it holds our interest as we await the outcome of the strange state of affairs. If you can make it through the first 15 minutes, you won't be disappointed by the rest.

• For more information on "Infidel," visit the official website.

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