I walked out of "House of Sand and Fog" with two distinct thoughts pinging around in my brain. One, the acting in "House of Sand and Fog" was some of the best of the year. And two, I was thinking in amazement about the way director/screenwriter Vadim Perelman was able to make me alternately despise and cheer for each of the central characters in a balanced fashion over the entire course of the movie.

Normally you get to pick one bad guy and wish evil thoughts on him or her over the course of the film. That?s not so easy with "House of Sand and Fog." The characters were so well developed and human, with all the foibles that implies, it was difficult to find a hero or a villain and label them with that designation for longer than a scene or two.

"House of Sand and Fog" could be summed up simply as the story of a woman who unfairly loses her family home versus the man who purchases said home and won?t relinquish it. But the truth of the story is much more complicated. The house in "House of Sand and Fog" isn?t merely a physical location. It?s a metaphor for stability and family. No matter the turmoil surrounding it, the house stands steady (and kudos to the filmmakers for finding such a perfect location).

Jennifer Connelly stars as Kathy, a lonely, depressed woman going through a bitter break-up. Cocooning herself in the home she?s inherited from her father, Kathy?s retreat from the world outside is so extreme, she even refuses to look at her mail.

Had she opened her mail, she would have learned the county was foreclosing on her home due to non-payment of business taxes. The non-payment charge is in error, however when the county kicks her out and sells her home out from under her, Kathy?s only recourse is to hire an attorney (Frances Fisher) and fight back.

On the other side of the argument is Massoud Amir Behrani (Sir Ben Kingsley). Having fled Iran, Behrani wants nothing more than to purchase a modest home for his family in hopes of turning a small profit in the near future, gaining a step toward his goal of returning the Behrani family to the lifestyle they left behind in Iran.

As Kathy fights for her home, she falls deeper into depression and soon gets to the point where she just doesn?t care. She wants her home back no matter what, shifting from a mild-mannered loner to a wildcat willing to go to dramatic lengths to regain her property. Assisting Kathy in getting back what?s rightfully hers is Sheriff Lester Burdon (Ron Eldard), a law enforcement officer going through a marital meltdown of his own. Kathy and Lester find each other at a time when Kathy needs a protector and Lester needs someone to protect. Unfortunately, their coming together isn?t beneficial to either party and ultimately leads to the movie?s tragic final act.

Without the right combination of actors ? Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Shohreh Aghdashloo and newcomer Jonathan Ahdout are each excellent - "House of Sand and Fog" could have easily deteriorated into a feature-length melodramatic soap opera. Perelman?s light touch allowed his actors to totally engulf their characters.

Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley are impressive, two fearsome actors facing off and feeding off one another. Shohreh Aghdashloo is totally convincing as Kingsley's long-suffering wife, Nadi. Jonathan Ahdout makes his big screen debut in a role that could have swallowed up any lesser actor. Playing Kingsley's son, Ahdout does an admirable job of forming a believable on-screen bond with the Academy Award-winning actor.

"House of Sand and Fog" isn?t light holiday fare. The film?s a maddening mixture of anger, retribution and forgiveness served up in beautiful surroundings, sprinkled with dozens of frustrating ?what if? circumstances. Whether you walk away thinking "House of Sand and Fog" is a terrific film or not, you?re bound to leave knowing you?ve just witnessed some of the finest actors around at their very best.

GRADE: B

"House of Sand and Fog" was directed by Vadim Perelman and is rated R for some violence/disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.