Director: James Gray
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Isabella Rossellini, Elias Koteas
Running Time: 110 minutes
Synopsis: In Brooklyn, Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) is bi-polar, suicidal, and living with his parents Ruth and Reuben (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov). They arrange for him to meet Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of Reuben's business partner. She is willing to try a relationship, but Leonard is distracted by Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), the more glamorous upstairs neighbour. Michelle is a troubled party girl and having an affair with a married lawyer (Elias Koteas), but Leonard nevertheless grows increasingly attached to her.
What Works Well: This is a refreshingly organic romance featuring imperfect people flailing within messy lives. Leonard has failed to launch and is close to imploding, director and co-writer James Gray introducing his protagonist with a jump-off-a-low-bridge half-hearted suicide attempt. Sandra may be a saviour but Michelle is compelling, her maelstrom of clubs, ecstasy, and infidelity shrouding her ability to pursue any rational future. Bypassing romantic movie cliches, the drama seeks next-best options when ideal resolutions are far out of reach.
What Does Not Work As Well: The commitment to stripped emotions exposes gaps in realism, judgement, and avoided conversations. After the introduction, Leonard's mental health is relegated to an afterthought, and the script conveniently ignores the future prospects of a relationship with the equally fragile Michelle. The stable Sandra is aware of what she may be getting herself into, suggesting a misdirected mothering instinct rather than true passion. The final act reaches for a superficially satisfactory ending riding on a brittle foundation.
Key Quote:
Sandra (to Leonard): I wanna take care of you. I feel like I understand you.
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