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When James Gandolfini passed away this summer, he left a long legacy of tough-guy roles. But the beloved actor could play more than just mobsters and hit men. In fact, he could often be surprisingly lovable—as he is in his final role, playing a divorced dad looking for love in Nicole Holofcener’s Enough Said.
Enough Said stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Eva, a massage therapist and single mom who’s bracing herself for the Empty Nest Syndrome that’s already starting to set in as her daughter, Ellen (Tracey Fairaway), prepares to leave for college.
One night, while attending a party with some friends, Eva meets Albert (Gandolfini). Though she isn’t immediately drawn to him, the two hit it off—and, after a date or two, Eva finds that his thoughtfulness and sense of humor make him incredibly attractive. But she starts to doubt her feelings for him when she discovers that her cool new friend, Marianne (Catherine Keener), is his ex-wife.
Like Holofcener’s last film, 2010’s Please Give, Enough Said is a kind of rambling, meandering film that focuses more on the characters than on the story. After all, the story itself is pretty standard—especially for a romantic comedy—and various subplots seem to be woven in entirely at random. But it’s the charming characters that make the film an enjoyable experience.
Though Louis-Dreyfus sometimes overplays her quirkiness (and she has a few unmistakable Elaine moments), Gandolfini is absolutely irresistible as the easy-going average Joe who’s just trying to find happiness in a grown-up relationship. He has his flaws and his phobias, but he’s perfectly open (and often absolutely hilarious) about them—and, overall, he’s just a sweet guy.
The relationship that forms between these two characters, then, is appropriately sweet and charming—and funny, too. Instead of the kind of wildly passionate romance that usually plays out in movies starring Hollywood’s hottest young stars, it’s refreshingly laid-back. Eva and Albert are mature adults who already have their own lives and their own interests, and their relationship builds from a good-natured friendship into a comfortable romance. Theirs may not be an on-screen love that will take your breath away, but it’s honest and real.
Unfortunately, though, the usual complications get in the way of the relationship—and they might sometimes get in the way of your enjoyment of the film, too. Eva’s actions may be understandable—after all, she’s just trying to get the dirt on her new boyfriend before she falls too hard. But that doesn’t make it right. And her lies and cover-ups feel especially immature in an otherwise mature rom-com.
Like any real relationship, Enough Said has its ups and downs, its successes and failures. It isn’t a particularly memorable romance, but you might just fall in love with its charming characters.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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