Fraughtwithoverobvioussymbolism,Hartley'searlyfeatureisnonethelessajoytowatch.Halhereshowsushisuncannyabilitytocasthischaractersperfectlycameearlyinhiscareerddd　　AdrienneShelleyisanearperfectfoiltoherself,equalpartsannoyingteenburgeoninginhersexuality(thoughusingsexforseveralyears);obsessedwithdoomandinspiredbyidealismgonewrongsheisdeceptively–andsimultaneously–complexandsimple.HerAudreyinspiressomanylevelsofsymbolismitisalmostembarrassinglyrich(e.g.,hermodelingcareerbeginningwithphotosofherfoot–culminatingherdoingnude(butunseen)work;Manhattanmove;Europetrip;herstealing,thensleepingwiththemechanicswrench,etc.)　　AsJosh,RobertBurkegivesanabsolutelymasterfulperformance.Areformedprisoner/penitenthereturnstohishometowntofacedownpastdemons,accepthislotandbeginanewlife.Dressedinblack,andrepeatedlymistakenforapriest,hecorrectseveryone("I'mamechanic"),yetthesymbolismisrich:heabstainsfromalcohol,hepracticescelibacy(is,infactavirgin),andseeminglyhastakenonvowsofpoverty,andhumilityaswell.Thehumilityseemshardesttoswallowseeming,attimes,almostfalse,apretense.Yet,aswelearnmoreofJoshweseegenuinenessinhismodesty,thathishumilityisindeedearnestandbelievable.Whatseemsironicisthecharacterisfairlyforthrightinhissimplicity,yetsorichlydrawnitbecomestheviewerwhowantstomakehimoutasmorethanwhatheactuallyis.Afascinatinglywrittencharacter,perfectlyplayed.　　ThescenebetweenJoshandJane(awonderful,youngEdieFalco..."Youneedawomannotagirl")ishilarious...real.ButHartleycan'tleaveitassuchandhistrick,havingtheactorsrepeatthedialogueover-and-overbecomesfrustratingly"arty"andannoying...untilagainitbecomeshilarious.Whataterrificsenseofbizarrerealitythislendsthefilm(likekidsinaperpetual"amnot"/"aretoo"argument).　　Hartley'sweavesallofasmallneighborhood'sidiosyncrasiesintoatapestryofseemingstereotypesbutwhichdelvesfarbeneaththesurface,thecatalystbeingthateveryonebelievestheyknowwhatthe"unbelievabletruth"ofthetitleis,yetnotwopeoplecanagree(includingourhero)onwhatexactlythattruthis.Awonderfullittlemoviewithsomebigideas.

　　1991年法国杜维尔电影节观众ddd　　1991年圣丹斯电影节荧幕特别奖　　1991年圣保罗国际电影节观众奖　　高中辍学生玛利亚告诉家人自己怀孕后，父亲倒毙地上，母亲把她踢出家门，男朋友弃她而去。于是她孤零零一个人无家可归。此时她遇上马修。他是个修理电子器械很有天分的高中毕业生，但他有个原则：质量至上，这使得他每份工作都做不长久。当玛利亚接受了马修的帮助，他们便展开一段令彼此发生转变的关系……　　WhenhighschooldropoutMariaCoughlinannouncesherpregnancytoherparents,herfatherdropsdeadonthefloor.Hermotherkicksheroutofthehouseandherboyfrienddumpsher,soMariaisleftaloneandhomeless.ThisiswhenshemeetsMatthewSlaughter.Matthewisaneducatedhighschoolgraduatewithagreattalentforfixingelectronicdevices,buthecan'thangontoajobbecauseofhisprincipledattitudetowardsquality.WhenMariaacceptsMatthew'soffertohelpher,theybegintoformarelationshipwitheachotherinwhichbothofthembegintochange.