WRITER LONERGAN'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT APPEALING.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic ``You Can Count on Me'' is a big-hearted movie about a brother and sister who don't understand each other and often don't even like each other. It's full of compassion and humor, two qualities in short supply in films these days, and it marks the impressive directorial debut of Kenneth Lonergan Kenneth Lonergan (b. 16 October 1962) is a playwright, screenwriter, and director born in the Bronx, New York City, New York. He began writing in high school, later graduating from the NYU Playwriting Program. , a playwright previously distinguished for writing the comedy feature ``Analyze This.'' The film was the co-winner of the Grand Jury prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival (sharing the award with ``Girlfight''). Sammy (Laura Linney) resides in the small, peaceful town of Scottsville in upstate New York Upstate New York is the region of New York State north of the core of the New York metropolitan area. It has a population of 7,121,911 out of New York State's total 18,976,457. Were it an independent state, it would be ranked 13th by population. , living in the same house she inhabited as a child. She and her brother Terry (Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (born November 22, 1967) is an American actor. Biography Early life Ruffalo was born in the industrial town of Kenosha, Wisconsin, the son of second-generation Italian American parents Marie Rose, a hairdresser and stylist, and Frank Lawrence ) were orphaned as children and responded to the tragedy in opposite ways. Sammy holds fast to stability - she works at a local bank, attends church regularly and has a comfortable relationship with an insurance salesman (Jon Tenney Jonathan F. W. Tenney (born December 16, 1961) is an American actor. Tenney was born in Princeton, New Jersey to a psychiatrist mother and a research physicist father.[1] He received his B.A. degree from Vassar College, where he majored in drama and philosophy. ). Terry, on the other hand, no longer believes in anything but himself, drifting from state to state, and sometimes landing in jail. When another predicament makes Terry desperate for cash, he calls Sammy and takes the bus to Scottsville. This leads to the inevitable arguments, but it also leads to some rather comical soul-searching. Sammy, for instance, has an 8-year-old son, Rudy (Rory Culkin Rory Hugh Culkin (born July 21, 1989) is an American actor. Culkin began acting by playing alongside his elder brothers, amongst them Macaulay and Kieran, often as the younger versions of their characters. , yes, of those Culkins), desperate for a father figure since he has never met his own dad. So, while Terry bonds with the boy in ways that wouldn't always be endorsed by Parents magazine, Sammy begins to discard the shackles of routine. This leads to interesting encounters with her boss (Matthew Broderick, in a variation of his performance in ``Election''). Lonergan refuses to make judgments about his characters, even when they stumble in the worst (and most human) of ways. His screenplay and direction are marvels of subtlety and nuance. The performances are equally inspired, particularly those of Linney, Ruffalo and Culkin. Linney hasn't been seen on screen since ``The Truman Show,'' and she demonstrates just how much she has been missed, making every one of her character's doubts and contradictions believable. Ruffalo's drifter recalls early Marlon Brando Marlon Brando, Jr. (April 3 1924 – July 1 2004) was an Academy Award-winning American actor whose body of work spanned over half a century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential actors of all time. (it can't be a coincidence Terry shares his name with Brando's character in ``On the Waterfront''), while Culkin gives his sheltered boy a deeply moving grace. ``YOU CAN COUNT ON ME'' (Rated R: for language, some drug use, sexual situations) The stars: Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Rory Culkin, Matthew Broderick, Jon Tenney. Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. Released by Paramount Classics. Running time: One hour, 51 minutes. Playing: Landmark's Rialto Rialto, city (1990 pop. 72,388), San Bernardino co., S Calif., a residential suburb of San Bernardino; inc. 1911. The city has greatly expanded as a result of the economic and demographic growth of the southern California area. in Pasadena; Landmark's Westside Pavilion The Westside Pavilion is a shopping mall located in West Los Angeles. It is owned and operated by The Macerich Company. It is a three story urban-style shopping mall with 150 shops and is anchored by a Macy's (formerly May Company and later Robinsons-May) and a Nordstrom. in West Los Angeles
Our rating: Three and one half stars |
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