| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010 10:37 am |
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Entertainment 
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'Two Lovers' boasts strong acting, sense of place The people behind "Two Lovers" were probably hoping for a slightly different publicity push from the star of their film.They couldn't have reckoned on the sudden career change currently represented by the bushy beard on the face of Joaquin Phoenix. The actor's insistence that he is no longer an actor but a hip-hop singer, and his monosyllabic appearance on the Letterman show, has already gotten him parodied at the Oscars. The Phoenix affair may yet turn out to be a piece of "Borat"-like performance art. Unfortunately, it's eclipsing the release of a pretty interesting film. "Two Lovers" is another slice of grungy, downbeat Brooklyn life from director James Gray, whose previous films include "The Yards" and "We Own the Night." Nothing has cheered up Gray lately, it seems. Phoenix plays Leonard, a man living with his parents (Isabella Rossellini, Moni Moshonov) after a suicide attempt and a breakdown. He has vague ideas of doing something with his photography, but the reality is he'll probably keep working in his father's dry-cleaning shop. The title suggests his dilemma: Should he stick with nice, stable Sandra (Vinessa Shaw) whose parents are family friends, or should he gravitate in the direction of the flighty Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), whose window he can see across the courtyard? There's little new in this quandary, but Gray and his actors certainly instill it with a great deal of anguished emotion and a palpable sense of place: a nightclub, an upscale restaurant, the dry cleaning shop -- these locations are lived-in and authentic. Phoenix's inarticulate presence comes across as mannered, but I can't deny that he blends into the character. Paltrow is very good at playing the kind of person who perpetually justifies the behavior of her married boyfriend (Elias Koteas), a kind of denial that suits Leonard and his desire for escape. Despite being prominent in Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," Vinessa Shaw has never quite graduated as a movie star. Perhaps this film will change that; she's impressive in a role that feels pretty unlikely. This is the first Gray film I've actually liked. Maybe it's the fierce concentration on a tiny piece of emotional turf (sometimes the world narrows to the surface of a cell phone), but this filmmaker's more pretentious tendencies are hemmed in. Now it's time for him to lend some career advice to his enigmatic star. "Two Lovers" A troubled Brooklyn man (Joaquin Phoenix) must choose between nice Vinessa Shaw and unstable Gwyneth Paltrow -- a situation given a fierce concentration by director James Gray and his actors. It all feels somewhat mannered, but the commitment of the actors and the strong sense of place make it the most interesting of this dour director's films. Rated: R for language, nudity, subject matter. Showing: Seven Gables |
- A revolutionary 747
- Fire breaks out at Everett car dealer
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last
- Boeing's 747-8 takes off after weather delay
- Plan for I-5 closures this week
- A new bowling alley for Monroe?
- Lake Stevens man homeless after fire
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood
(9) - Vote on school levies by Tuesday (9)
- Everett police officers cleared in 2008 shooting death (5)
- 1949 travel aid shows how few places blacks were welcome in Washington (4)
- Everett rethinks boutique wineries (4)
- Toyota has powerful D.C. friends (3)
- I-5 bridge joint may give you a jolt, but it isn't damaged (3)
- A new bowling alley for Monroe? (2)
- Cigarette causes life-threatening burns (2)
- ORCA a whale of an improvement for Community Transit (2)
- Edmonds educator, famous announcer dies
- Mill Creek to appeal ruling on annexation
- Through the air, with the greatest of ease
- E-W thriving under new coach
- The path to citizenship
- EUUC puts on ‘Pants & Shoes’
- Wolfpack wins the ‘Battle'
- Lynnwood’s annexation plans OK’d
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
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