Two Lovers

Director:

James Gray
Writers:
James Gray
Ric Menello

Starring:

Joaquin Phoenix
Gwyneth Paltrow
Vinessa Shaw
Moni Moshonov
Isabella Rossellini

Rating:

R

Quotes:

Do you think is going to stay with me forever?

We are both messed up.

I have to admit that I was on the fence about seeing this movie.  The story line isn’t unique and the two principles (Paltrow & Phoenix) are talented actors but their previous performances have always left me wanting. However, this quiet little film has quite a soft but effective (and funny) punch.

Joaquin Phoenix plays a young (late 20’s – early 30’s) Jewish man who has returned to living with his parents in New York.   He had a fiancé, he had dreams – and they disappeared.  Now he goes through the slow day-to-day process of coming out of a deep depression.   His well-meaning parents (Rosellini & Moshonov), have him working at the family dry cleaning business, living in their house and having him reconnect with family friends; some of whom have young single Jewish daughters.  All this gauzy protection makes him feel stifled and more alone than ever.  Even with what most would consider the vision of girlfriend perfection and understanding (Shaw), he goes through the motions, but feels more like he’s biding his time.  He doesn’t know what life he wants exactly; all he knows is that he wants something different.

In flies upstairs neighbor girl (Paltrow), who as much as she complains to the contrary, likes the attention of living in the eye of a storm.  She is beautiful, she is broken and she becomes something new for him to focus on – as if saving her will somehow save himself.

It’s a shame that Mr. Phoenix is out “finding himself” right now, for I believe he has given one of the best performances of his career.   Isabella Rossellini is excellent at fading into the background (no makeup ladies & gentlemen!) as a mother trying to let her little bird fly again, without crashing to the ground.  I am also impressed by the compelling performance of Vinessa Shaw, who spends the film navigating the almost manic emotions and divided affections of the man she loves.  You worry for her, and wonder if she realizes that she may be a compromise choice.

Bravo to James Gray for writing such a touching film, and making old themes new again.  If you are having doubts about where your relationship is going and want to clear the air, then take your partner to see it – the conversation afterward will be worth as much as a professional therapy session.

Director:

Ken Kwapis

Writers:

Abby Kohn

Marc Silverstein

Starring:

Ginnifer Goodwin
Kevin Connolly
Scarlett Johansson
Bradley Cooper
Justin Long
Ben Affleck
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Connelly
Natasha Leggero
Drew Barrymore

Rating:

PG-13

Quotes:

If you can find him,then he can find you.If he wants to find you, he will.
Men don’t forget how much they like you. So put down the phone.
Don’t get tricked into asking him out. If he likes you, he’ll do the asking.
You’re my exception.

Lesson number one in a chick flick is this: men will take a beating from just about everyone. In “He’s Just Not That Into You” even the men call each other pigs. When Gigi, (Ginnifer Goodwin) goes out on a date with Conor, (Kevin Connolly) she thinks things went well, Conor tells Gigi he will call her but, after several days go by with no call she decides to take things into her own hands. Ben, (Bradley Cooper) is married to Janine, (Jennifer Connelly) but meets Anna, (Scarlett Johansson) in a grocery store, and sparks fly. His best friend is Alex, (Justin Long) who also happens to be friends with Conor. Then there is Neil, (Ben Affleck) who is in a relationship with Beth, (Jennifer Aniston) who just happens to work with both Janine and Gigi. Not to confuse anyone any more, but along comes Mary, (Drew Barrymore) who works at a newspaper, she does some advertising for Conor’s real estate business, I should mention that the paper is a gay themed paper. As Conor’s business starts to pick up he starts to dress more “gay friendly”. Alex runs a bar, and when Gigi comes in looking for Conor he sees right away what she is trying, he sits her down and tells her that Conor really isn’t interested in her, that she should look for someone that is more interested. After she returns from another date, she calls Alex and tells him what the guy said, he tells her, sorry he just isn’t interested. Mary meets a guy on myspace and her co-workers tell her that’s the new booty call, she still holds out hope. Ben is finding reasons to run into Anna, while at home Janine is dealing with some home renovations, she finds cigarette butts and asks Ben if he is smoking, he tells her no that he isn’t. She has had a family member die of lung cancer and doesn’t want Ben smoking. Gigi, Janine and Beth all sit around at work talking about men and whats wrong with them, Neil wants to just live with Beth, he is in love with her but isn’t the type to get married, she is happy with this, until her younger sister Paige (Brooke Bloom) gets engaged, then she wants more and throw Neil out. He moves onto his boat, and one day his best friend Ben comes to visits. When Ben breaks down and tells Janine about his affair with Anna, she reacts differently then Ben expects, she wants to work things out with him, she even goes to his office where unknown to her a half naked Anna hides in the closet. She goes home and is cleaning up after the workers have left and finds a pack of cigarettes, this she can’t accept and throws Ben’s cloths all over, when he gets home a carton of cigarettes is on the stairs along with his cloths, a note is taped to the carton telling Ben that Janine wants a divorce. At Paige’s wedding, their father Ken (Kris Kristofferson) has a small heart attack, she sees just how the husbands of her sisters are. She is picking up around the house when she sees Neil washing dishes, she rushes over and hugs him, the next morning she goes to his boat and tells him that she wants him to come home. As Ben and Janine’s relationship comes to an end, Neil and Beth’s gets stronger. Gigi calls Alex so many times that he tries to set her up with a friend Bill, (Peter O’Meara). Alex has come to the conclusion that he in fact is crazy abut Gigi and goes to her house one night and tells her. As the movie ends Anna who left Ben after the closet incident is singing professionally, Mary approaches Conor, who also has an interest in Anna, that is more than professional, when that doesn’t work out he and Mary start to date.