UMA LOVES, MERYL BRISTLES IN `PRIME'.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN the movie poster for the romantic-comedy ``Prime.'' A radiant Uma Thurman, lips parted, leans into a young man, who is (appropriately) off in the corner, his face obscured, because, let's face it, he's not all that important. Then, behind Uma, we see a bespectacled Meryl Streep, hand over her mouth, looking on in horror.

That leads you into the film's surprise twist, but if you want to go into ``Prime'' pure, stop reading now. Because the surprise in this movie - which Universal Pictures isn't exactly laboring to keep a secret - gives the film its raison d'etre. Otherwise, it's just another May-December romance, albeit one that's deeply felt and featuring Thurman in a role that lets her look gorgeous without wearing a yellow track suit.

The key relationship - at least, in terms of our enjoyment - in ``Prime'' isn't between the recently divorced Rafi Gardet (Thurman) and young pup David Bloomberg (Bryan Greenberg). It's between Rafi and her psychologist, Lisa Metzger (Streep), a sensible woman who encourages Rafi's romance - which Rafi confides down to the details of her boyfriend's privates - until Lisa realizes that Rafi is dating - last warning - her son.

Yes, Lisa is David's mother. And Lisa is Jewish, and like some Jewish mothers, she doesn't approve of her son dating shiksas. But she also feels a professional obligation to Rafi as well as something of a motherly affection toward her patient. What to do? What to do?

The religious conflict adds a dimension to the usual May-December theatrics, but only a small one, because writer-director Ben Younger (``Boiler Room'') doesn't exactly steep the movie in theology. The spiritual battle is between David and his overprotective mom, and it's pretty standard-issue Jewish mother-son stuff.

Where the movie works is the first hour with Streep and Thurman wonderfully playing off each other while Lisa's knowledge of Rafi's romance remains a secret. Streep again proves adept at comedy, making the most of a character that could have easily come off as a caricature. And Thurman just glows, forcefully conveying the pleasure of a woman who has found someone to adore her, as well as the wisdom to know that the relationship is an iffy proposition at best.

So you go for the women and stay for the movie. If the material never quite rises to the actresses' talents, take solace in the film's last moment where Thurman looks into camera and soulfully conveys three acts worth of emotion in just one look. It's priceless.

Glenn Whipp, [phone]

glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com

PRIME - Two and one half stars

(PG-13: sexual content, including dialogue, language)

Starring: Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg.

Director: Ben Younger.

Running time: 1 hr. 46 min.

Playing: In wide release.

In a nutshell: May-December romance gets a couple of twists. Still pretty standard-issue, but it's honest, and it features fine performances from a radiant Uma Thurman and a comic Meryl Streep.

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The bounds of her profession's ethics make things uncomfortable for a psychologist (Meryl Streep, left) whose patient (Uma Thurman) is dating a younger man in ``Prime.''