You Can Count on Me (2000)

A single mother's life is thrown into turmoil after her struggling, rarely-seen younger brother returns to town.

Director:

Kenneth Lonergan

Writer:

Kenneth Lonergan

Stars:

Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 37 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laura Linney	...	Samantha 'Sammy' Prescott
Mark Ruffalo	...	Terry Prescott
Matthew Broderick	...	Brian Everett
Rory Culkin	...	Rudy Prescott
Jon Tenney	...	Bob Steegerson
J. Smith-Cameron	...	Mabel
Gaby Hoffmann	...	Sheila
Amy Ryan	...	Rachel Louise Prescott
Michael Countryman	...	Thomas Gerard Prescott
Adam LeFevre	...	Sheriff Darryl
Halley Feiffer	...	Amy
Whitney Vance	...	Young Sammy Prescott
Peter Kerwin	...	Young Terry Prescott
Betsy Aidem	...	Minister
Lisa Altomare	...	Waitress

Storyline

Adult siblings Sammy Prescott and Terry Prescott have had a special bond with each other since they were kids when their parents were tragically killed in a car accident. That bond is why single mom Sammy, who still lives in the family home in Scottsville, upstate New York with her eight year old son Rudy, is excited to hear that Terry, who she has not seen or heard from in a while, is coming home for a visit. That excitement is dampened slightly upon Terry's arrival, when she learns that he, broke, is only there to borrow money. As adults, Sammy, who works as a lending officer in the local bank, is seen as the responsible sibling, while unfocused Terry is seen as the irresponsible drifter. Regardless, Sammy welcomes what ends up being Terry's longer than planned visit if only so that he can help take care of Rudy, who has no adult male figure in his life. Rudy has never known his deadbeat biological father, with who Sammy wants nothing to do. As Terry - acting as the supposed adult ...

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Plot Keywords:

single mother | pancake | pool table | cemetery | orphan | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some drug use and a scene of sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 2000 (Slovenia)

Also Known As:

Puedes contar conmigo

Filming Locations:

Margaretville, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£63,848 (UK) (30 March 2001)

Gross:

$9,180,275 (USA) (8 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hart-Sharp Entertainment, Cappa Production, Crush Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mabel the bank secretary was played by J. Smith-Cameron, wife of writer/director Kenneth Lonergan.

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Goofs

The film is set in Scottsville, New York, which is in the far west of the state, south of Rochester. However, a sign is seen for NY Rt28, which does not run anywhere near Scottsville. This is because the film was shot in and around Phonecia, New York, through which NY Rt28 runs.

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Quotes

Terry: Yeah, this is the haute cuisine of garments.

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Crazy Credits

Jeffrey Sharp would like to dedicate his work on this film to his mother, Virginia Sharp Albright, with love and admiration.

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Connections

References The Jerry Springer Show (1991)

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Soundtracks

"Mendocino"
Written by Doug Sahm
Performed by 6 String Drag
Courtesy of Southern Love Music Co. / Warner Chappell (BMI)
And E-Squared, LLC

User Reviews

See this film.

I almost didn't know anything about this film, but when it came out on DVD, a lot of critics recommended it, so I checked it out. And - wow! A real little gem of a movie that perfectly blends drama and comedy.

The story may be slight (to say the least), it's basically just a couple of days in the life of a sister and her brother, and the people around them in a small town. No real beginning, and no real end, but a fantastic, original script, and some really great acting. Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney (she gives one of the best performances I've ever seen on film) are both extremely likable despite their characters' flaws, and it fun to see Matthew Broderick in a different kind of role for him.

A film about ordinary people, living ordinary lives, all done in a near flawless way. Great script, direction, and acting - that's something you don't see every day, so make sure you see this one.