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Why can't I have them both? It's just
not fair!
Here's an intensely absorbing indie-film,
being released simultaneously in a few
select cities and on digital pay-per-view.
That seems to be a popular new way for
smaller films to reach larger audiences.
And believe me, "Two Lovers" deserves as
large an audience as it can get. This
will definitely end up being one of the best
films of 2009.
The title and the
trailer make it evident that this is a
romantic drama in which one man is torn
between two very different women. That
man is Leonard Kraditor (Phoenix), a
generally introverted man who has moved back
in with his parents after a failed
relationship. He is interested in
black and white photography, but works in
his father's dry-cleaning business.
He is governed by depression, fending off
thoughts of suicide with prescription
medicine.
His parent's friends
are also in the cleaning industry and they
are considering a possible merge, which
Leonard could one day take over. Their
beautiful daughter is Sandra (Shaw), who is
soon "fixed up" with Leonard. They
nervously take the first steps into a new
relationship, soon developing a comfortable
rhythm that feels cathartic and safe for
both.
Soon thereafter,
Leonard stumbles into Michelle (Paltrow), an
energetic blonde who moves into an apartment
on the floor above. She is hyperactive
and fun, representing a slightly more
dangerous undertaking for Leonard. She
becomes an even more enticing challenge when
he finds out that she is kept by a wealthy
married lawyer who repeatedly promises that
he will leave his family for her.
One girl is safe and
comfortable. The other is unattainable
and risky. The film follows the
labyrinthine emotional maze that Leonard has
to navigate in order to find out what will
make him the happiest. It is a
fascinating journey that pulls the viewer
back and forth as we try to make his
decision for him.
Phoenix is naturally
one of the most emotionally weighty
performers in recent memory. He almost
always carries around an anvil of angst in
his roles -- and it is on full display here.
Leonard balances on the edge of torment and
ecstasy, never managing to fully commit to
either. It is a marvelous effort -- I
only hope it is not his last film, as he has
recently hinted in interviews.
Paltrow is this
critic's idea of silver-screen heaven.
She lights up the screen in ways that render
the film projector completely unnecessary.
This is one of her most emotionally charged
roles since "Hard Eight". Her
character is scarred and needy, hidden
beneath a veneer of nonchalant smiles.
The part was written with Paltrow in mind -
she absolutely does it justice.
I have been crazy
about Vinessa Shaw since I first saw her as
Domino in Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece,
"Eyes Wide Shut". She has a serene
quality that fits this role perfectly.
I am not sure there is an actress who can
emote as subtly as Shaw can. As
Sandra, she represents the hope for a
peaceful, kind and safe existence with
Leonard. It is just a matter of
convincing him that those things are what he
wants. Shaw is remarkable in every
scene and deserves award consideration.
Heck, all three of
them should be considered when Oscar rolls
around in 2010. This is an ensemble,
which includes a superb turn by Isabella
Rossellini as Leonard's mother, that ranks
as one of the best of the decade. "Two
Lovers" is an actor's film -- allowing them
to live and breathe on screen.
The characters are fully realized,
three-dimensional people who we can care
about long after the fade-to-black.
James Gray is a
patient director. His work includes
"The Yards" and "We Own the Night". He
is unafraid to let the characters develop
without feeling the urge to stamp his name
all over the production with needless flare.
He is confident enough to let his writing do
the work. Gray is fast becoming one of
the more intriguing talents in the business.
"Two Lovers" is an
honest and authentic film that requires a
thoughtful, attentive and mature audience.
The emotions are complex. The
consequences are tangible. I really
cared about what happened to these characters.
How often can you say that about a movie?
Absolutely do whatever you can to find this
independent gem.
©
Written by TC Candler
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