Enough Said

Courtesy of Front Row Reviews

Enough Said is an honest, awkward, and appealing film. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an actress whose comedic skill has showered her with acting awards. She plays Eva, a middle-aged divorcee and self-employed traveling masseuse. At a party, she meets the shy Albert (James Gandolfini) and is also introduced to fellow divorcee Marianne (Catherine Keener).

Over time, Albert asks Eva out, and after his odd nature and slightly insecure charm wins her over, the two begin seeing each other on a regular basis. Around the same time, Marianne hires Eva as her masseuse, and the two hit it off immediately. Eva starts enjoying life a little more, until she finds out Albert and Marianne are ex-husband and wife.

Conflicted, Eva doesn't share the news to either party when she realizes this. But she starts honing in on Albert's flaws (like not being able to whisper and never staying committed to a diet) and gets Marianne talking about where things went wrong with her ex-husband.  It's evident that almost everything Marianne says is wrong with her ex-husband is at the very least partially true, but behind those quirks is a vulnerable heart of gold in Albert, equally eager to love and scared to het hurt. So when the nagging on Eva's end starts, Albert isn't a happy camper.

The driving force of the movie is writer-director Nicole Holofcener's screenplay, which in and of itself is enough to give the film a recommendation. Julia Louis-Dreyfus solidifies her reputation as one of the world's finest and most talented comedic actresses, and the delicate intricacy of James Gandolfini will prove to be an admired credit to the actor's filmography that was tragically cut short. RIP.

I wanted a bit more from the movie. It was good - great, even - but never spectacular. That being said, the abrupt endings of some storylines are made up for by the genuine performances and admirable screenplay and dialogue. The film had a very real and relatable approach, making it all the more sincere.

Enough Said is a sweet and fully satisfying romantic dramedy. I embraced its awkward tone and it became one of the most simple and heartfelt enjoyments of the year. Its simplicity restricts it from ever standing out as a marvelous cinematic achievement, but the subtlety of it added a lot to the movie. It wasn't perfect, but I still loved it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/5