“Enough Said” (2013): A Surprisingly Good Movie
I’m breaking from my tradition of reviewing relatively older movies. I’ll do that occasionally. And why? Because every once in a while, I watch a current movie that’s too good to pass by without a mention. Such is the 2013 rom-com, “Enough Said.” I watched it skeptically with lowered expectations.
Thapson
It was only my respect for both Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and James Gandolfini, that drove me to watch it. There are few contemporary romantic comedies that I have managed to sit through, hence I wasn’t expecting much. But this one was different and I was definitely impressed.
“Despite the “feel-good” factor, the story had a realistic feel to it without the melodramatic over the top scenes synonymous with rom-coms.”
Synopsis
Eva is a divorced professional massage therapist who lives with her college bound daughter. Her work involves shuttling between her clients’ homes. One evening, on a social outing with her friend, Sarah, Eva meets Albert. Albert is a quick-witted divorcee with a great sense of humor. The two of them hit it off immediately. Although they have different personalities, their attraction is mutual and are soon on dating terms, sort of.
There is one problem however. One of Eva’s new clients, Marianne, is Albert’s ex. They too have a college bound daughter who lives primarily with her mom. Eva is unaware of this fact as Marianne, during their appointments, rants away on her ex’s (Albert) bad habits. They were definitely polar opposites as far as personalities go. Eva is amused and somewhat appalled by some of Marianne’s descriptions. However, over her continued trysts with Albert, Eva realizes he has those very traits Marianne is describing.
The scenario turns into a sort of “comedy of errors”, as inevitably, Eva realizes that Albert is indeed Marianne’s ex. Small world indeed. What is she to do? She decides, that the best thing would be to end her relationship with Albert. The things Marianne has unwittingly spoken only highlight all of Albert’s bad habits and she’s uncomfortable with the whole scenario. But as luck would have it, everyone learns the truth about each other eventually.
How do they react? What is Albert’s reaction when he realizes that Eva has been privy to his traits through Marianne? What does Marianne think of Eva’s closeness to Albert? And, finally, how does this situation effect their daughters? Good questions indeed. And they are all answered in the movie which I won’t spoil for you here.
Main Cast
My Take
Despite the “feel-good” factor, the story has a realistic feel to it without the melodramatic over the top scenes synonymous with rom-coms. There’s comedy interlaced with a dash of suspense.
It touches on the unique problems divorcees face when re-entering the dating world. Especially those in the middle age bracket with commitments to grown children. There are very few movies that deal with the dating issues of this demographic. One feels the world is quite small when you are in this situation with all the pitfalls along the way.
The acting by the cast was a wonderful surprise. I was hesitant to watch Gandolfini and Dreyfuss in the movie as they’re so entrenched in our minds as iconic TV characters. Well, okay, there are shades of “Elaine” in Eva at times, but in a very nice and endearing way which melds well into the character. This was among Gandolfini’s last roles and he has left us with an unforgettably amiable role here. Both rise to the occasion and earned a new respect from me of their amazing potential.
Supporting Cast – Restrained yet Significant
The supporting cast does a superlative job too. One can’t help notice Tracey Fairaway (Ellen) and Eve Hewson (Maddy), playing the part of Eva’s and Albert’s daughters, respectively. And then there’s Tavi Gavinson (Chloe), who spends much of her time with Eva, much to the chagrin of Ellen. They underline how coping with an offspring’s issues add to the complications for the main characters.
Nicole Holofcener
Lastly, while the actors in any movie are commendable, it’s the director whose responsibility it is to bring the best out of them. And this is brilliantly done by the director, Nicole Holofcener, who incidentally also wrote the screenplay. So, kudos to her!
“Enough Said” – Official Trailer / Searchlight Pictures – YouTube
Much like “Lost in Translation”, this movie may be more appreciated by a relatively “mature” audience. It is this demographic that is likely to recognize themselves here. Moreover, some of the subject content is of a mature nature and unsuitable for minors.
I’ll be back with another movie review in the near future. Until then, I wish you happy Movie and TV viewing.
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