Loosely based on Pete Dexter's novel set during the Civil Rights era, Lee Daniels' follow-up to surprise Oscar nominee Precious is a genuine curio: a sweaty slice of Southern-Fried pulp, with an ensemble cast headed by an eye-catching Nicole Kidman as white trash sexpot Charlotte, ostensibly centring on her quest to exonerate her death row-bound pen-pal beau. As a film, it's as much of a hot mess as its lead female character: all gaudy visuals, tonal inconsistencies and flippant transgressiveness, though one suspects under the right conditions (specifically: late at night, with a fridge full of beers and a very open mind), it might just bear the makings of a camp classic. (JB)