Two Lovers (2008)

A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor.

Director:

James Gray

Writers:

James Gray, Ric Menello

Stars:

Joaquin Phoenix, Anne Joyce, Vinessa Shaw

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Leonard Kraditor
Anne Joyce	...	Leonard's Ex-Fiancée
Elliot Villar	...	Bystander
Craig Walker	...	Bystander #2
Carmen M. Herlihy	...	Lady with Baby Carriage
Donald John Hewitt	...	Another Bystander (as Don Hewitt Jr.)
Christian Albrizo	...	Some Kid
Isabella Rossellini	...	Ruth Kraditor
Moni Moshonov	...	Reuben Kraditor
Julie Budd	...	Carol Cohen
Bob Ari	...	Michael Cohen
Iain J. Bopp	...	David Cohen
Vinessa Shaw	...	Sandra Cohen
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Michelle Rausch
Samantha Ivers	...	Stephanie

Storyline

Leonard Kraditor is a burned-out case, living with his immigrant parents after his fiancée left him, helping out at their Brooklyn dry cleaners, taking photographs, at loose ends, suicidal. In quick succession, he meets two women: Sandra, the daughter of his parents' business associates, frank, direct, sensual, Jewish like Leonard; and, his neighbor Michelle, mercurial, rootless, fun, blond, unattainable. Michelle is in love with a married man and cries on Leonard's shoulder; Sandra wants to save him. Is Leonard willing to risk losing Sandra's fidelity for the moments Michelle's moods swing toward him? Can this end well?

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Plot Keywords:

neighbor | love | married man | photograph | jewish | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes we leave everything to find ourselves.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [uk] Official site [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 November 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Amantes

Filming Locations:

Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£88,060 (UK) (27 March 2009)

Gross:

$3,148,482 (USA) (26 June 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

2929 Productions, Wild Bunch, Tempesta Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1848 short story 'White Nights'.

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Goofs

After Leonard drops his suitcase out the window it isn't there when he goes downstairs to meet up with Michelle.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Awards Special 2013 (2013)

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Soundtracks

"L'Elisir D'Amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima (Act 2)"
(1831)
Written by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Felice Romani (uncredited)
Performed by Ambrosian Opera Chorus, English Chamber Orchestra, Richard Bonynge, Maria Casula, Dominic Cossa, Joan Sutherland (as Dame Joan Sutherland), John McCarthy, Luciano Pavarotti, Spiro Malas
Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Not just another romantic movie with Gwyneth Paltrow

This was the first time I saw a film from James Gray and it was a great surprise. I don't usually go to the movies because of the critics but the fact that all the critics were great and that both orthodoxes and heterodox had liked got me a little intrigued. I still don't get all the good critics. It's not at all a romantic movie. It's rather a film of someone messed up struggling hard to survive and trying to do it through messed up relationships. It's really well filmed, and both James Gray and Joaquin Phoenix passed a lot of tension. If you want to go to the movies and relax that's really not the indicated piece. This is more for those who are looking for a real human movie with well worked personages.