This film teeters between "actors" film and "dialog" film. It is not both but it was directed as such. There is sparse action throughout the film but when it happens it is violent and repugnant in an realistic and unforgiving way. (Your mind does not say--"It's just a movie with catsup and stuff flying around".)
Some may say the film is mostly about character development and that is true but to use 80% of it "developing" is a bit extreme. A few of the characters will absolutely wear you out.
Kudos to Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, and Pitt for showing up with fine performances. Gandolfini is good but a bit over the top as a hit man gone stupid with alcohol and broads.
The two perps who did the heist dominate the first third of the movie and you wonder why they haven't been killed before now in their wasted lives. They were good (names?), good enough to earn your disgust in such a short time.
Basically three guys pull a card game heist where the local gangsters play. Everyone suspects Liotta but soon enough Pitt gets on the track of the right guys. As it plays, everybody gets his and Pitt lays a huge slam on Obama, Thomas Jefferson, and America in general in the final scene. (The timeframe is during the '08 campaign with Bush, McCain, and Obama in the background on television.)
I think most people will go to see this because of the high ratings it has gotten. And in some ways it is like a New Age 'Reservoir Dogs' so those who don't mind crawling around in the gutter will go to see it and see some really good performances in a somewhat overdrawn vehicle.
