Emanuel’s film is so anxious to convince us of the tragic surroundings of P.J. and the events leading up to his admittance at the hospital that often times it can feel overbearing and manipulative. There were many instances where I was sure the writers and Emanuel weren’t confident that the emotions were completely translating on film, so they ratcheted it up four notches making it almost drip from the screen. There are always much better ways to convince us of a sad situation without forcing it on us. While Patricia Rae tries her best, her performance as Shelly is probably one of the many caveats to “P.J.” as every line she delivers bears the weight of someone who isn’t quite sure how to approach her character.

When she’s not screaming at the top of her lungs in a forced rage, she’s never really that convincing as a woman from P.J’s life who has the potential to bring him back from the brink of his insanity. Rae is difficult to sit and watch at times and tries so intently to play off of Heard and Nash that she chews the scenery with very little positive results to take away from the experience. I was often confused as to whether she was trying to top everyone in acting ability or just keep up with them. The unfocused performance left me rather unimpressed. As for the climax, I didn't really buy it. I mean are we supposed to believe such a convenient twist would occur when we're supposed to sympathize with P.J's own suffering on his inability to save someone? I didn't cop to it. There's also the last twenty minutes that felt tacked on when it really should have all ended at that hospital room. The writers seemed to want to finish off Shearson's storyline and pad the film, when really it could have all been closed before P.J.'s own issues were resolved.