Young Adam is a cold and dreary film that benefits from fine acting. And while the opening of the picture suggests that the movie might be a mystery of sorts, it certainly isn't one of a derivative nature. If anything, the discovery made at the beginning of Young Adam defines one of the film's main characters, and doesn't necessarily drive the plot.

Young Adam takes place mostly aboard a barge in Glasgow circa 1960, and features Ewan McGregor as Joe Taylor, a working class drifter who has very little time in his life for small talk. When he's interested in a woman, he cuts directly to the chase. This is to say that sex serves as a major role in this erotically charged character study, thus earning Young Adam the illustrious (Naughty Content) NC-17 rating.

Following the previously mentioned discovery (which I will not reveal in this review), We are introduced to Young Adam's main characters. The aforementioned Joe, Ella (Tilda Swinton) who owns the boat, and Les, Ella's hard-working husband who works the boat. From the get-go it is clear that Joe has an attraction towards the unhappy Ella, a woman who is clearly bored with her spouse and even more bored by her routine life. Before long, an inevitable connection is made between the two.

As the film progresses, we are given insight into one of Joe's past relationships via flashback sequences that occur throughout the film. Joe is a man that is either unwilling or unable to have a serious relationship. It just doesn't seem to interest him. He appears more attracted to the rush that accompanies sex with no strings attached. As Young Adam continues, a startling revelation puts Joe in an incredibly uncomfortable situation. How he handles it is even more uncomfortable.

Ewan McGregor is excellent as Joe, a man who on the surface doesn't seem to have much of a heart. He's a confused soul who handles certain incidents in a less than satisfactory manor, and somehow, he always seems to get what he wants.

Tilda Swinton is also effective as the unhappy Ella (she gave an equally effective turn in the overrated Deep End). Like Joe, she is a rather cold soul, so the two seem to be a perfect match. This is a gutsy turn as Swinton is quite uninhibited both mentally and physically.

Emily Mortimer is an absolute stunner as Cathie, Joe's ex-flame. While this is a smaller role and lacks the depth of the three leads, she brings a vulnerability to the part that lends weight to the picture.

My favorite performance comes in the form of Peter Mullan. He is beautifully understated in the role of Les. There is a scene in Young Adam in which he confronts Joe, and it doesn't go in the direction I was expecting. This is a painfully real portrait of a sad, insecure man, and is, perhaps, the most powerful moment in the picture.

There's been much talk about the title of the film, and I suppose it is whatever you make of it. It's obvious that it has a religious connotation, and while watching the way Joe lives his life in Young Adam, it's easier to make the connection.

As a film, I'm a tad torn. It's stunningly shot and has moments of pure beauty and absolute heartbreak, but I had a difficult time connecting with Joe and Ella. To me, these were unlikable characters, and while I suppose their supposed to be, it just sort of left a bad taste in my mouth.

By the end of this picture, Joe makes a choice that will most certainly disgust a lot of people. It's a cold, gutsy move by novelist Alexander Trocchi and director David Mackenzie, and I have to admit, I found it haunting. It stayed with me long after I watched it.

Those of you who do decide to view this film, be warned. This is not a Hollywood whodunit thriller even though the beginning of the picture suggests that it might be. This is a character study about real people, some of whom make extremely distasteful choices in their dysfunctional lives.