Enough Said

Movie Name: Enough Said
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Nicole Holofcener

Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette, Ben Falcone, Tavi Gevinson, Toby Huss, Amy Landecker

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Nicole Holofcener's new film is coincidentally, and sadly, one of James Gandolfini's last roles ever captured on film. The film follows the story of Eva, a middle aged, divorced masseuse, whose life runs placidly and comfortably, and who is in the process of "losing" her daughter, since she's moving away to go to college. While attending a party, Eva makes the acquaintance of a potential client, a published and well known poet, but also and more interestingly, a date with a man named Albert. Though not initially very attracted to Albert, himself also a middle aged divorced father of a young woman (who's also going to college), these two individuals find a middle ground and a shared complicity and sense of humor that allows for the relationship to start blossoming. That is until Eva realizes that her latest client, the fantastic poet, is also Albert's ex-wife, whose opinions of him are not exactly the best.
Nicole Holofcener has built a career in films, exploring the relationships of certain microcosms of individuals, where at the center, there's always a heroine who is seemingly displaced or out of contact with the reality that surrounds her. In this case, Eva is the heroine, who is charming and funny, but who hides her heart and feelings behind that sharp wit and humor. Albert is very much like her: a man who suffered through a divorce, and is trying to live his life quietly, hanging on to his only daughter and who embraces this relationship with joy and a possibility of finding happiness. The film allows the actors to flush out these characters, and is filled with humor and a genuine sense of wonder and tenderness between two people who are emotionally bruised. The cast is uniformly fantastic: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette and Ben Falcone. It's a surprise seeing Gandolfini playing a part that is so grounded and where he's so vulnerable and ultimately real.
A lovely film worth watching.