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James Gray, Two Lovers
04/19/2009 It’s 2007. I’m in France at the Cannes Film Festival, and one of the movies I make it my mission to see is We Own the Night, a James Gray film starring Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix. Despite the French audience reaction, I find the film to be one of the most generic, forgettable cop movies I’ve seen. It’s 2009. I recall those same feelings as I enter the Cine theatre for the presentation of Two Lovers. It’s the same director and the same leading man. The results are a little different, though. I kind of like this one. Search for reviews on the movie and you’ll notice a common sentiment: Phoenix is a great actor, and it’s a shame if he truly is retiring. Those comments aren’t unfounded. Phoenix is instantly likable as Leonard, a love-scorned and otherwise complex man whose introduction into the narrative pretty much sums up how his love life goes (and that slow-motion intro was pretty cool, wasn’t it?). It’s not too surprising when we discover that he still lives with his parents (played by Moni Moshonov and Isabella Rossellini) while living in a room that looks to be about the size of an ordinary hotel bathroom. It doesn’t take long for Leonard to develop feelings for neighbor Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), who’s not exactly a simple girl. Aside from having a pill addiction, she is involved with a married man (Elias Koteas), one she isn’t sure will be faithful to her. Paltrow shows here, as she did in last year’s Iron Man, that when given the right roles, her charm can really shine through. She and Phoenix play off each other incredibly well. Elias Koteas is a character actor who appears in what seems to be every movie, yet very few people know who he is. And that’s a shame. I don’t think he’s ever been bad in anything. Well, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III maybe, but everything about that was bad. It’s not enough that a married man is in Leonard’s way of ending up with Michelle. Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) is interested in him, and Leonard’s parents try to match the two up. Leonard goes along with it, though it’s a pretty half-hearted commitment. Paltrow may be charming, but I don’t know too many people who would say no to Shaw. I know I wouldn’t, but then again, she’ll always be Allison from Hocus Pocus to me, and that’s a major plus. On its surface, the story isn’t anything too earth-shattering. A man is caught between two woman, one that wants him and one that he wants. You know it can’t end well, and you know that somebody is going to get hurt. And yet, you’re drawn in. All the performers are great, but Phoenix is a cut above the rest. You see why everyone is imploring him to stick with acting. He’s kind of good at it. While certain parts worked, one thing in particular didn’t. The “can you see me?” scene between Leonard and Michelle felt like it was copied and pasted from American Beauty. I think I understand what Gray was trying to accomplish with it, but it was a little too cheesy for my taste. Nonetheless, the movie as a whole is effective. The bad taste Gray and Phoenix left in my mouth a few years ago has all but been completely washed away thanks to their efforts here. Now let’s see what Gray can do with fellow Night cast member Mark Wahlberg... Comments [post a comment]Comments are closed |
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