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Health & Fitness

Movie Review - Enough Said

Enough Said ***½ (PG-13) Here’s one of those rare romantic comedies for grownups that works well without hyperbolizing the second-time-around anxieties of the players. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini are divorced single parents who meet at a party. She also meets a divorced single mom, Catherine Keener, who becomes one of her massage clients, then a friend. Despite the absence of any obvious click between Julia and James, they start dating. After hearing Keener bitch about the flaws and foibles of her ex for a while, Julia suddenly realizes she’s slamming her new beau!

Julia’s character is riddled with a classic dilemma in an uncommon setting. Having been disillusioned by her first flop, she’s almost manic about detecting signs of future failure with James. She can’t resist pumping Keener for intel and insights, while too embarrassed about her duplicity to let either of the exes know her link to the other. We can all predict how well that will turn out, eh?

Despite the absurdity of the premise, writer/director Nicole Holofcener delivers a reliably satisfying and intelligent slice of life. It’s funny and heartfelt, including subplots involving the principals’ offspring. Compared to Julia’s post-Seinfeld affinity for playing over-the-top neurotics, this role is refreshingly restrained. The hardest part is for fans of The Sopranos to adjust to the burly Mr. Gandolfini as a shyly awkward, yet appealing, custodian of an archival television library. He nails the part like a pro, projecting self-awareness and integrity in delicate balance with his discomfort and doubts about starting a new romance. The shift is probably harder for viewers than it was for this late, great actor, who obviously had far more to offer. (9/27/13)

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