Monday 21 October 2013

Film: 'ENOUGH SAID'

The predictable question to ask is: "Does knowing that this was James Gandolfini's last but one completed film make one more favourably disposed to it than would otherwise have been the case?" My answer is "Emphatically not!". I'd have found this screenplay to have the potential to be a delightful film with any cast - though here they are all uniformly excellent. Moreover, it's assuredly secured a place as one of my 'films of the year.' One of the 'invisible stars' was the script, which I found alert, intelligent and believable, without being too contrived or too glib.

I knew the names of neither main star Julia Louis-Dreyfus nor of director Nicole Holofcener before now, though I see they've both done substantial TV work. Toni Collette affords solid support as Louis-Dreyfus' friend.

The first of these plays a travelling masseuse, a divorced mother of a teenage daughter, with, among her clients, Catherine Keener, another divorcee (also with teenage daughter) and who, during her sessions, offloads her negative opinions about her ex. Keener listens sympathetically, not realising for quite some time that this 'ex'  also happens to be the guy (Gandolfini) whom she herself is currently dating, they having met up earlier at a social function and 'clicked'. (Okay, a co-incidence too far, maybe, but this is meant to be a light-hearted story.) When the revelation dawns on her she tries to juggle both her client-friend and her man-friend without wishing to betray what she's found out to either of them, probing each to elaborate on their opinions of the other.

It's a gentle rom-com, small-scale but very agreeable. Without any genuine laugh-aloud moments (at least for me, though there were some occasional guffaws among the audience), it's rather one of those aimiable, feel-good films, and on those terms alone it works a treat.

I find it hard to find fault with this film. I could have done without the insertion of a song on the soundtrack towards the end (but that's one of my perpetual bug-bears) and if the very close comes near to swimming in sentimentality it doesn't last so long as to drown in it.
If this had actually turned out to be Gandolfini's very final screen appearance it would surely have done him proud.

I was set on giving this a rating of 7.5 but now, three hours after it finished, I can still feel the after-glow, and for that reason I'm going to push it a notch further up to.........................8.




8 comments:

  1. The trailers made me think that it was all rather sweet
    I shall give this one a go

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    1. I think if anyone needs cheering up, this should do it, J.G. On the other hand, some might feel it irritatingly smug, but if they do I think the loss is theirs.

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  2. It appears that the birthday celebration is over and you are hard at work again.

    I am not a fan of Louis-Dreyfus (probably the only one who hated "Seinfeld") but was surprised what a great job they did with such a sensitive script. Lovely movie.

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    1. Paul, I don't usually take a deliberate break from cinema-going. I only don't go when there's films showing that I've already seen or don't want to see.

      I've never seen any episode of 'Seinfeld' (nor 'Cheers', 'Friends', or any of that ilk) so maybe it was better that I didn't know of Louis-Dreyfus.
      I'm delighted that you also enjoyed this film as I was fearing that I might have over-played my enthusiasm. But you also recognised the high quality of the script, and that pleases me especially.

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  3. Wow! I love them both, so am thrilled to see your rating. One of these days, maybe I'll even get to see it.

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    1. I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed, Mitch. If you are I'll undertake to come over there and take care of Moose and Dudo while you cruise around.

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  4. this is delightful to hear. I confess I never considered seeing this, largely because of Julie L-D. She is a talented television comedic actor. winning yet another Emmy this year for her series Veep. I enjoy her work for what it is but she has had great success in 3 separate seried playing the same character, Nothing wrong with that - Lucille Ball became a legend doing the same thing. Perhaps I should give JL-D a chance on the big screen.

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    1. This was possibly THE surprise of the year for me, H.K. Totally non-hyped, this was a charmer - though I had the advantage(?) of not knowing in advance anything about J L-D. Maybe if I had I too would have given it a wide berth, but glad that I didn't.

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